Frozen 2 fanfic: A treaty of fire and ice
by Amare of Arundune
Summary: Queen Elsa is tasked with ruling Arendelle, which she shares with her pregnant sister and the rest of her family. Life isn't easy, & Elsa's icy approach to relationships leaves her lonely in her search for a suitor. To add to her stress, Elsa must sign a treaty with a looming threat; the kingdom of Arundune. Can Arundune's prince help Elsa to truly let go,and find love?
1. Chapter 1 Elsa's cold shoulder

**I own nothing of or from "Frozen", except for the characters I've made up, the songs I've made (All originals), and Arundune**

(I wrote this after I saw Frozen, because I my main question after seeing this movie was, "Who's gonna love Elsa!" but also, "Who would be the ideal guy for Elsa?" And thusly, a fan fiction was born!)

 **Introduction**

The weather outside is blowing and cold, with trees bending in the frosty wind of a snow storm. Inside, a trio of kids sit around a fire, anxious to listen as an old rock troll prepares to read them a story. There is Christopher, a boy of 12, with strawberry blond hair and a light dusting of freckles across his nose sitting in the back of the group, one arm wrapped protectively around his younger sister her own hair golden blonde and in pigtails. They are both munching on carrots. Beside them is another girl, youngest of all. "What's dis sto-wy about, huh gram-pa Pabbie, huh?" asks the little girl, her hazel eyes bright with excitement, a smile breaking over her mocha face, and her frizzy, curly, silver ash brown hair bouncing as she clutches her dress in excitement. The old troll smiles at the children. "This story, children, is a story of love, and adventure, and of hope. You might even recognize some of the characters." Pabbie winks at Christopher, who smiles. Pabbie opens a thick book, perfect for stormy days and bored children. The pages glow with swirling magic and Pabbie begins to read, starting with the:

Grandpa Troll: (Narrating this story within a story) Once upon

a time, in a kingdom called _Arendelle,_ there lived a girl with powers over ice and snow. At first, she was terrified of her wonderful abilities. She went wild with fear, causing an eternal freeze over the kingdom, and she _ran_ , hiding in a tower to protect herself and others from her perceived curse. Now though, after having her heart warmed by the power of love, she found peace, and now rules her Kingdom as queen, running her kingdom with the same love she feels in her new heart. And, for a while, there was peace. But, after a time, rumors of war threatened and skirmishes broke out, at sea and on land, between the queen's kingdom and a place called _Arundune_ , a place of sand, and veldts, and sandy colored rocks. Very different from the green, but cold world of _Arendelle_. Despite these differences though, neither kingdom wanted war. And so, using a party to break the ice, the two countries would sign a treaty. A treaty of peace; a treaty of fire and ice. A treaty of love… Now, let's start with…

 **Chapter 1.** Elsa's Cold Shoulder

The throne room churns as quite possibly all of the city of Arendelle packs into the throne room, spilling out into the court yard. Inside, guests are eating and talking passing the time until….CRASH…"Sorry!" Anna 's pregnant belly knocks over a fancifully stacked plate of hors d'oeuvres. The small section of party goers who heard the crash turn to stare at the noise. Anna sheepishly blushes. "The baby kicked." "Oh princess, it's quite alright." Says a maid as she bends over with broom and dustpan and cleans up the mess, shooing away the nosy people, "But princess, you _really_ should be resting. Where is that husband of yours anyway, leaving you alone in such a crowd, so much noise, and people, and all those smells?" Anna's brow quirked and she smiled a bit. "Smells, Milly?" The maid, Milly, only looked at her with a knowing glance. "You'll find out." Anna's smile drops as she grabs her belly with a slight wince and a small groan. "Oh!" Milly fusses, taking Anna's hand and patting it, looking for a chair. "Where is that husband of your-" She is cut off by another crash. Kristoff comes hurtling through the crowd, chasing a 6 year old child with quick legs and a sharp mind. "Christopher, stop running! I'll give you more chocolate covered carrots if you stop! Now!" ( **Thump** , _rattle rattle rattle_ ) CRASH! A large swan ice sculpture smashes wetly to the floor, sending ice pieces everywhere! "With EXTRA Chocolate!" The small little boy runs into Anna's knees. _Ooof_ Scooping up the child and placing him on her hip, Anna musses his messy strawberry blonde hair, making the cheeky little boy giggle as Anna wipes off his face, his cheeks smeared with chocolate. Kristoff stops running, out of breath, trudging towards his wife. "I think chocolate was the problem in the first place." Anna then sticks her fingers into her mouth, cleaning off the chocolate and smiling with delight. "MMmmm, chocolate". Milly's brow quirks. Kristoff stands up, smiling at his wife. "Maybe more carrots then, _less chocolate_ " he jokes, crossing his arms and giving his son a look. Christopher hides his head a bit against his mom, but smiles. "It is his first party Kristoff" Anna chides mother like and Kristoff uncrosses his arms. "You're right" he says, and they smile at each other, sharing a loving peck. Kristoff nuggies Christopher, making him giggle and growl, "Daddy!" Kristoff stops and the family laughs. Kristoff turns around and looks around the room. "He sure did leave a-" " _What_ happened!? What a _MESS_!" a voice rings out from across the room.

The orchestra stops playing. There is now silence except for the sound of shoes clicking, importantly, but fast, following the trail of glass, porcelain, spilled food, and ice. A deep blue shoed foot stops, stepping on a white iced cake with a _squish_. Elsa stands some feet from the mess's end now, wearing a long icy blue dress, tied at the waist with a dark green/blue sash. As Elsa walks forward again, the transparent green cape beneath her shoulders flaps silently, menacingly in the air. The top of the dress, vertically striped with thick, dark green keels, shines in the ballroom lights, sequined between with jewels, blues of all colors. Finally, the ice queen stops in front of chocolate foot steps, at the end of the trail. Her arms, covered by tight, see through, misty blue gloves, cross over her chest, and the puffy shoulders of her dress, blue with cream stripes bordered by green, are stiff now with as her stare. Her normally fishtail braid is curled in an updo bun against her head, a tiara nestled over her forehead. The overall affect is very sleek. It also gives the already angry Elsa a more intimidating appearance. Elsa looks directly at the guilty looking trio, who are suddenly looking around the room, Kristoff whistling, Christopher pretending to be asleep on his mother's hip, Anna grabbing her belly and groaning "OOOoohh, Whhooo! I think I need to go lay down now- _Oh_ , hi Elsa! Didn't see you…there?" Elsa's brow quirks and her frazzled, icy face suddenly warms into a smile. "Really guys?" she asks, hands on her hips as she shakes her head. Found out, Anna, Kristoff, and Christopher answer simultaneously "Yesh" "Yup" "Stickin' to it". Elsa laughs, and so do the other guests.

The party goes back to partying. Elsa greets guests as they pass by or come up to her. "Queen Elsa, hello!" "Fine day for a party is it!" "You look beautiful queen". She thanks them in turn smiling, nodding, shaking hands, and clasping hands. Finally she returns to her sister and her family, sitting down in a corner bench to relax, where they talk before Kristoff leaves the family to check on Sven. "So Anna," She asks earnestly, "How are you?" Anna grins, "Great! Kristoff is wonderful, as always, and Christopher is healthy" She points to her little son, who is playing with Olaf, chasing him around the room and under a table. From beneath the table cloth, Olaf gasps with joy. "A cupcake, _HUH_!, with a footprint in it!" He devours it while Anna and Elsa laugh with disgust. "And the baby _kicked; I mean yes, the baby kicked a lot of dishes,_ but the baby kicked!" Anna beamed with loving eyes as she caressed her belly. Elsa's eyes misted a bit and she brings a finger to her eye to wipe a tear. "I'm so proud of you Anna. And happy for you too!" Anna leans over and hugs her sister, who returns it with much warmth. "Thanks so much Elsa. So, how are you?" Elsa smiles. "I'm fine. Very good I mean. Things are very well in the Kingdom, the castle hasn't fallen down, God is good, and you're happy and safe with a family." Elsa smiles at her sister, but with a look of slight longing in her eyes. Anna's smile drops a bit. Elsa frowns now. "What?" Anna looks into Elsa's face. "What's wrong Elsa?" Anna asks, sitting up and putting a hand on Elsa's shoulder. Elsa's smile twitches, and she snorts, "Nothing Anna. I'm _fine_. Hey, how about we go see what else Olaf has been eatin-" Anna stops her, putting her other hand on Elsa's shoulder. " _Elsa_ , we're _sisters_. I know when something's wrong. And _I'm_ your _little_ sister. So I'll keep _nagging_ you until I find out what it is…All…night…long! For the whooooole party…and then the next day, and the one after thaaat, and-" "OK! OK!" Elsa caved, throwing her hands into the air. "Gee Anna, I should have made you royal inquisitor." The girls laugh heartily for a second. "Now talk; and _don't_ say it's the treaty!" Anna presses. Elsa sighs before she squeezes Anna's hand with her own. "Anna… I'm pretty right?" Anna gasps. "Elsa! OF COURSE you are! Did someone say something? HUH, Was it me? Did I say something!? If it _was_ _me_ , I'm sorry! I must have been talking in my sleep and in my dream, we were arguing about who would marry Kristoff, a really weird dream, I know but..." "Anna! No," Elsa's face was scrunched with laughter and confusion as she stared at her sister, but then it settled with a look between humor and pain. "No one said anything. It's just that…every time I find a suitor, whenever I get close, they always seem to... _run away_." Anna smiled. "Oh Elsa, I'm sure that's not true." Elsa now gave her sister a look. "Really? Well what about the time at our last dance when...?"

FLASHBACK: _Elsa was sitting among her people at the table, eating, when suddenly, a visiting prince, a son of a Duke, came over. "Is this seat taken?" he asked, his voice smooth and his hair long and dark. Elsa smiled and blushed slightly, "OH, no, please sit. They ate and talked a bit. Now that introductions were out of the way, it was time to get down to some engaging conversation. "So" Elsa asked, "Do you like chocolate?" The prince smiled "Oh, absolutely, in fact, my family owns a share of the cocoa bean trees in the kingdom of Arundune." Elsa's eyes lit up. "That sounds really wonderful. Your family must be very happy…they get to eat as much chocolate as they want." "Yes" the prince chortled, "I suppose they do." "So, what do you think of Arundune?" Brock answered. "I think it is a little hot, but a nice place to visit." Elsa stopped eating. "We're fighting with Arundune right now, actually." "OH! Er, yes, I've heard. I'm sorry to hear that, really." Brock said. "I do hope you find a solution" "It's a process. But, as a prince, what would_ _you_ _suggest we do? Solution-wise I mean?" Elsa put a hand under her chin. "Hmmm. Aah! I suppose you could go_ _to_ _Arundune and ask to meet their rulers, to have a meeting, may-haps. You could finish off this fracas in one afternoon." Brock's chest puffed out with pride at his simplicity and wit. Elsa saw his pride in his eyes and pushed the issue further. Suddenly, her perfectionist kicked in. "Perhaps…" Elsa started. Maybe he was too proud. And then, she had another thought. "But, what about me?" Elsa questioned. "Beg your Pardon, Queen?" "Well" Elsa continued, "I could start a meeting. But how would I look as Queen. I know for a fact that we didn't start this war. Wouldn't I just be groveling to a threat if I ran all the way to Arundune?" Elsa started at the duke, waiting for an answer. Brock was veritably shocked at the Queen's suddenly demanding, almost apprehensive query, as well as how the conversation had jumped from chocolate to politics_ _ **.**_ _Still, Brock tried to match wits with the Queen, who seemed to be searching for an answer he couldn't give._

 _They talked a while longer and, soon, dinner was over. The two walked and talked and ended up outside in the courtyard. "That was a wonderful conversation Prince Brock" Elsa said. And she'd thought it was. "Indeed it was… something" Brock said. They stood face to face and smiled at each other. Elsa closed her eyes, and leaned in for a kiss. Suddenly, Brock stumbled stepped backwards and, as Elsa kept leaning forth, her eyes closed, Brock turned his head and pulled his ear, his eyes wide as he stared intently at the host of carriage operators who were chatting about the weather. One of the coach men, standing with his back slumped against the gate, but in position, looked up and suddenly jumped to attention. He excused himself from his gents before running out the gates and turning a corner. There was a sharp whistle before Brock's carriage came tearing around the bend into the courtyard. Elsa's eyes shot open as she jumped at the noise. Brock turned back to the queen and grabbed Elsa's hand and shook it vigorously with both of his own. "Oh would you look at the time?' Brock said, pointing to the clock above their heads and he jostled Elsa's body with his hand shake, before all but shoving her away. As he hustled into his carriage, he stuck his head out the window. "We really must do this again sometime! Ta ta for now Queen!" he said waving goodbye as the carriage tore down the road._

FLASHBACK OVER

"Ok" said Anna. "So that was bad, but I'm sure you're exaggerating." "The market!..." Elsa started... FLASHBACK: _The Market: Half a month ago. Elsa is out in the town, buying apples for Anna when one rolls out of her basket, hitting a shoe. Suddenly, a young man interrupts her conversation with the vendor. "Excuse me, my Queen." says a voice. Elsa looks into the tawny freckled face of a pale peach skinned, blonde haired man with strong blue eyes. He held out a hand. "You dropped this" he held out the shiny red apple. "Thank you" Elsa said. Elsa reached out to take it." "Ice-, I mean_ _nice_ _, day for a walk isn't it? You look fetching in the sunlight." The man pulled his hand back a bit and bowing to her, his hand against his chest. Elsa blushed and nodded. "Thank you." She then pulled out her wallet to pay for her fruit. The young man stopped her. "No, please, let me." Elsa smiled. "Oh, no it's ok, I've got this one." She assured him. The young man still asked to pay, holding out his money to the vendor in his other hand. Elsa stopped him with her voice. This squabble went on for some seconds. Finally…"I insist, really I do," the man tried. Elsa frowned now. "You don't think I'm capable of paying for my own apple?" Her insecurity, and a bit of protective self were starting to show. The man startled. "Of course not! I just thought I would, you know-er-" HE mumbled something about "gentleman". Suddenly, the two were interrupted by a small girl. "Big brother! I need you to come with me, right now!" The little girl grabbed his hand and all but ran him away from the queen. "Wait! You dropped your wallet" Elsa called, picking up the man's coin pouch from the ground, which the girl had knocked out of his hand when she grabbed her brother. The man started with wide eyes at the snow queen's hand. "You can keep it! Consider it a gift, I mean." Before leaving, he grabbed Elsa by the arm, flipped her hand over, and dropped the apple into her open palm, careful not to touch her hand. Elsa frowned as the man walked off quickly_ _ **.**_ _"There goes another one."_

FLASHBACK OVER

Anna frowned now, thinking. "Ok, but…the horse race? "Ran away" Elsa sighed. FLASHBACK: _Elsa comes in summer clothes to congratulate the winner of the race. Man steals someone else's horse and rides away out of the stable yard._

"The docks!" Anna challenged. FLASHBACK: _Man sitting near Elsa jumps into river below when she brings a finger near him to show him a firefly_ " "The…parade?" Anna offers sheepishly. _Elsa turns from her date for a second to grab a windmill toy. When she turns back around, she is surprised to see he has completely disappeared. Said man is wiping his brow with a "Phew" as he hides behind a passing float, chest heaving._

"Ok, that one was mysterious" Anna tried. Elsa face dropped, and she suddenly felt very grumpy. "ANNA! I'm like fire to boys-and I'm ICE! None of them want to stick around!" Elsa was on her feet now, he hands balled up into fists! "I can't lift a finger, literally a finger, honestly, _or_ say _anything_ before they're all suddenly too afraid to touch me! None of them stand up for themselves! And then…they disappear." Elsa sat down again, defeated. She turned to Anna, slumped over in defeat. "I love your hugs, and Kristoff's, but I want my own hug Anna. A hug that won't run away." Anna's eyes teared up. She leaned in to hug Elsa. Elsa hugged her back when she suddenly heard a wet snuffling. "Oh Anna, I didn't mean to make you cry!" Anna pulled back. "I haven't started yet" Anna said, voice cracked but eyes mostly dry.

They turned to see Olaf, who was suddenly bawling. "That was SNIFF S-so saaaaaddd" Olaf ran to Elsa, hugging her leg and babbling between crying. " _SNOOORT_. Pooor E-Elsaaa. All _alone_!...A-a-and heading towards her 30's!…(he cried ice cubes now), and, _Sniff,_ and with a-a terrifying reputation that scares boys away faster than wolves! It's j-just so S-saaadd! Sn-OORT!" Olaf snorted his carrot nose into his head. He stopped crying and felt his face. Elsa popped him, rather hard, in the back of his head, and his nose was suddenly where it belonged again. "Thanks Elsa" Olaf smiled. Then he frowned again with an open, honestly concerned face. He looked deep into Elsa's eyes. "Elsa, if there's anything I can do to help …well, I'll do it. I'll search high and low, searching for the man of your dreams!" Elsa smiled and Anna wiped her eyes. "You're too sweet Olaf." Elsa smiled. "And hey, If all else fails, you have Olaf" The girls jumped! Kristoff got up from leaning on the wall. "How long have you been standing there?!" demanded Elsa. Kristoff smiled sympathetically. "Long enough to hear someone needs a hug." Kristoff grabbed Elsa and gave her a bear hug. Anna got up and hugged her too, followed by Olaf and then Christopher. Elsa smiled. "Thanks you all. But what am I supposed do? The man of my dreams isn't just going to walk through the palace doors."

Presently, trumpets blared and the palace doors were clearing as Arundelians moved aside. A line of brown skinned men marched quickly in, and formed two lines, one on each side of the palace door frames, facing each other. They all wear long, sleeveless waist coats with desert colors on them, over square necked tan/white tunics with swirling black and gold trim around the collars and hems of the long sleeves. They all wear belts resting on their hips, a long, skinny sword at their sides, and short pants. Their legs are covered with leather leg warmers, fur inside, stuffed into tall boots. On their heads were leather caps, also fur inside. Each stands at attention, one arm clasping a trumpet over their breast, the other arm resting behind them, on their lower backs. They all wear mittens. Elsa and her family separate and everyone stares as two people walk in. A voice shouts out, "Presenting, the King and Queen of Arundune!"

* * *

Thank Jesus for this idea! Hope you all like it.


	2. Chapter 2: Dinner Glass

**Chapter 2.** Dinner Glass 

A red carpet, decorated with beaded designs, is manually rolled into the room down the middle of the isle, and Elsa, her family, and the rest of the room separate, staring as two people walk in, side by side, obviously the king and queen. The room is silent with anticipation.

The king walks into the ballroom, carrying himself with a noble, tall walk, swinging his arms a bit with each step. He stops, waiting on the queen to come after him. At the door, the queen, who had obviously been shivering, shrugs off her cape like shawl from around her shoulders and arms and, gracefully, hands it to the nearest guard. The guard carefully takes the garment, lilac with orange rings decorating it, and folds it carefully before returning to his position at the door, the shawl hanging over one arm. The queen of Arundune then joins her husband and walks with him, hand and hand, along the carpet, each step of her curtain like dress revealing sandaled feet. Whispers of excitement ripple from the natives of Arendelle as they marvel at the appearance and attire of the arriving royals. A young girl gaps an open mouthed smile of wonder, "pretty…". "So BOLD! So SLEEK!" affirms an artist in the crowd, who drops his tea cup before scribbling on his napkin, snatching a feather from a lady's hat and dipping it in the young girl's pastry with the quill, earning him a scowl from the woman and a sad, then disgusted face from the girl . The comments of other onlookers are likewise curious and positive. Elsa stands patiently now, in front of the throne, tall and elegant, but just as eager to finally speak to the royals of Arundune. Anna isn't as patient, and looks from Elsa to the royals' and back again, then around the room. This, of course, makes Kristoff nervous, and he started to involuntarily tap a foot. "Finally!" Anna exclaimed, then coughed, "Sorry, pregnant." She said, as if that explained the outburst. The king and Queen had indeed, 'Finally' made it to the end of the rug. A man, wearing an elaborate brown, black, and white grand bubu, who looks to be of similar age to the king, strides up next to the king nd past him till he faces Elsa. His shoes clip as he stops in front of her.

He bows his head towards Elsa, his tasseled square cap almost hitting Elsa on the nose twice as he rises from his bow. "Jaheem; my Queen (he addresses them separately)- this is Elsa, the _Snow Queen_ of Arendelle." The royals of Arendelle all flinch at the way he had said _snow queen._ The guards with the trumpets blow a "Ta-daaaaa" before stopping. Then they start to shiver. One sneezed. Someone giggles. The King and Queen of Arundune smile and kneel and curtsied before Queen Elsa. "Greetings Queen Elsa" Spoke the woman. "I am Queen Nyasha. You can just call me Nyasha though." "And I'm Jaheem." Elsa reacts first. "It's a pleasure to make your acquaintances." Anna and the others bow now. Nyasha smiled. "Oh, come now, this is how we say hello in our country." she exclaims, giving Elsa a warm hug. King Jaheem moved past her and embraced Kristoff and Anna. Olaf, noticing the greetings, runs to join in. "I like warm hugs!"

Jaheem jumped at the noise and looked down, startled as anyone would be if they encountered a talking snowman, but soon he was laughing with Olaf about the joys of summer. Anna turned to Nyasha, "And can I just say, your dress is _beautiful_." "Thank you, Anna. My mother made it for special occasions." replies the queen with a smile. And indeed it was a beautiful. Her dress is dyed in layers, sunny turquoise wrapped in gentle oranges and yellows below the waist and at the feet of her dress. The chest of her over the shoulder dress was designed with tan stitching sewn into the shape of a rising sun, a blushing sunrise red filling the studded half circle between the tan stitched rays, on the chest. A copper belt, with a silver clasp buckle, that resembles a string of marigolds, with gold inside for petals, is at her waist, giving the dress an hourglass hip to it. Besides her dress, the older woman holds her chocolate hair in braids, tied with gentle blue ribbons. She wears a golden tiara band with gentle pink, lilac, white, and dark coral colored flowers in it, a silver four petal pendant hanging from the tiara on her forehead. Her braids are kept together at the top by a red, fuchsia, and coral scarf. Her leather slippers are velvety red/brown. Anna smiles and the queen smiles back as they talk of sewing and children.

Jaheem is just as royally dressed. He wears a shiny Yoruba dashiki, a Fulani straw hat, and blanket like cape. Hanging past his knees over long pants, the turquoise giraffe pattern shirt, decorated inside with waves of darker swirling diamond patterns. Dots of yellow studding the collar of the dashiki fall down the front to form a broad shield pattern on his chest, with pressed in sides, filled with an orange Cross flashing inside. The shoulders of his shirt and the cuffs of his sleeves are banded with rings of orange dots, interrupted by ovals of turquoise. Hanging like a mantle over his shoulders, fiery blue as a bright evening sky, was a blanket like cape, with an orange fringed hem, and tassels too, lilac fading into orange. The face of the cape is like a mural, sporting vaguely circling, spirally pattern of paw prints, bright and faded and sunset red, the hot color blushing on the strong, light blue. Over his chest is a wide, sunset red sash wrapped around his waist and hanging over his shoulder. He wears the same belt his wife does, but over his sash. His lower legs are exposed, but are covered, along with his feet, by furry socks tucked into dark sandals. His crown of a hat has a turquoise gem shining on the top.

Indeed, everyone at the ball is dressed to impress. Before long, the royals are all talking as if they were old friends. The guests have settled back once again into partying, talking, many of them greeting the new royals, but just as many are standing to the sides, whispering. Elsa stands tall as she converses with everyone. _This treaty thing,_ thinks Elsa, _will be a snap!_

Suddenly, there is a commotion at the doors and a young man in his late 20's leaps gracefully through the threshold and stumbles into the palace room. Everyone stops talking and turns and stares. He is dark haired with brown skin. Mustering what dignity he can, the man walks straight toward the chatting royals, his own long sleeved, ankle length tunic open and trailing low and silently on the air behind him. Like Jaheem, he swings his arms, but with more shoulder to his walk. As he does, the tawny colored cloth, wrapped once over his chest, then again, crossing over in the other direction, hangs from his shoulders, shifting with his torso. The rest of the cloth is wrapped around his middle and hanging from his waist, like a shortened kilt, held by a belt sash at his hips. His maroon, knee length shorts catch the light of the room, and the pattern of many shiny, vertical columns of blue diamonds stitched into the pants glimmer and fade, with each step, above a golden hem below. _His_ marigold belt is around his neck, swinging slightly. The prince's feet are covered by dark sandals, with gold colored straps. He stops in front of the royals and bows to his parents. His short, curly hair is black and brown and he has side burns. His parent's bow back.

 **Elsa's POV**

Elsa doesn't know what's running through her sister's mind at the moment, but she is speechless. The prince of Arundune is gorgeous! , with cocoa skin, brown eyes, and a head full of short, thick curly hair. She watches as the young man rises slightly, reaching for his side, and straightens out the red leather sword scabbard at his side in a rather undignified fashion. Nyasha frowns a bit, Jaheem putting a hand to his head. Elsa notices Anna crack a grin. " _This_ is Prince Amare" Nyasha and Jaheem say. Amare, straightening suddenly, and, throwing a hand in front of his chest, turns and gives a nodding bow to Anna and then Kristoff, who return the bow, then at Elsa. As he does, 2 necklaces clack against each other; one of turquoise beads striped with yellow lines with red dots running the lines, just like his tunic, the other of white beads, elaborately brush stroked with red over orange, and dashed with little flecks of purple, creating the look of leaping flames rolled into orbs. As Amare rises from his bow, his dark brown eyes, flecked with gold, meet Elsa's round blue ones. The prince smiles, not by flashing a stunning grin; just an amused curl at the corners of his mouth, playing above his defined chin. Elsa, at a loss for words, held in his steady gaze, alight with dash and equanimity, can only blink, her mouth slightly agape. Kristoff whispered to Anna and Christopher. "I think Elsa wants to visit Arundune." Anna snorted, but elbowed him in the ribs. Elsa blushes. She regains herself and smiles back. "Hi…" she says. _So much for the treaty being a snap._

As the castle stewards settle everyone into the dining room, the royals sitting together at the end to make acquaintances, with the same guard carrying Nyasha's shawl coming after them to relieve Amare of his sword and Jaheem of his crown/hat. A predetermined sitting arrangement separated Elsa and Anna from the chocolate. Instead Elsa finds herself sitting across from Amare. (The text in italics is thought conversation). After prayers are said, everyone starts in on the appetizer; hot stew or soup, to warm everyone up.

Amare looked down at his place at the table, staring at his reflection in a bowl of piping hot stew, then back up again at Elsa. His tunic coat rests on the back of his chair. Amare: _Huh , so this is the snow queen._ The prince watches her sip her drink from a glass chalice while she absentmindedly stirs her soup, waiting for it to cool, taking in her pale complexion, her rosy nose and cheeks, her platinum blonde colored hair. And her sharp, almost glistening, glacial blue eyes. Until he'd come north, he'd never even seen a blue like this. It was so piercing it took his breathe away the first time he saw such a color on the ocean. _Wow..._ It was startling to see this color again, so soon! _This blue_ , _in these eyes.._. _they're_ …, Amare thought… , _endearing_ and _deep_ and _chilly …blue_ ; They were indeed blue like the ice he had slipped on so many times during his visit here. Only this time, Amare couldn't pull himself up or away. _So many mysterious things about her…so many stories…I wonder, what makes her tick? What makes her smile?_

Elsa looks up from below her eye brows. Elsa: She sips her drink nervously every few minutes, trying to figure the prince out. _Why does he keep staring at me? Is this a test before the treaty…or some kind of…weird custom?_ Elsa looks up at Amare and smiles _._ Amare smiles back _. Elsa (goes back to drinking): Is there something on my face?_ Casually _,_ Elsa pretends to brush back her hair, wiping both sides of her face in the process. Amare: (grabs his bowl casually and starts to drink): _She caught me staring! Ah, Don't mind me queen; Just drinking my stew_. Amare downs a draught of the piping hot stew, slurping from it as he does so; he keeps Elsa's face slightly in sight from over the rim of his bowl. It is then Elsa has another thought. _Could it be, just may 'be…no, Elsa you're just being dumb…unless_ … _Does he think I'm pretty? I guess he is cute, for a prince. And those eyes are peculiar but…not hard to look at. Still, this about the trea…-HUH-WAIT?! Did he just swallow that soup!? It was piping hot!_ Amare lowers his bowl to see Elsa staring at him, along with some other guests, who had all been stirring or blowing, struggling to even touch their bowls, much less put their tongues to them. His uncle, who is seated next to him, jabs Amare with his fork, making the prince jump. Amare pulls his lips from his bowl and his eyes meet his uncle's, then Elsa's and the other guests, and his own eyes widen. He looks down at this place. His uncle grunts an " _ahem",_ flicking _a brow_. Amare blushes. "Oh! _ahem_ I'm sorry. We are at a proper dinner; I'm supposed to use the spoon, right?" His voice surprised Elsa. There is a tangy, musical deepness to his low, summery voice. Amare picks up the spoon and then, very properly, blows on his stew before slurping it quietly. Elsa recovers from her surprise. Maybe the stew wasn't as hot as she thought. Elsa picks up her own bowl and spoons up some soup, slurping it up too. Her mouth is singed! Her cheeks redden...! Her eyes widen! She desperately reaches for her glass, but it's drained! She rolls her eyes and looks up at the ceiling pleadingly. Still, face scrunched, she keeps her decorum and swallows… painfully. She gasps out steam, appalled at the heat as cool air rushes down her burning throat. Amare notices and he's trying not to laugh, his lips to his own glass now, which is full of bubbles as he tries to hide his laughter. Finally, he chokes and puts down his own glass, gasping for air.

The tension broken, Elsa and Amare laugh together. "You _know_ , its ok to slurp here. We're not too picky about table manners (She points down the table to where Kristoff and a guest are stuffing their faces with meats and breads and fruits what might be an eating contest. Anna is skewering chocolate truffles on a long fork from over a guest's shoulder, while Milly tries to stop her from eating the sweets.) Amare laughs. It makes Elsa smile. Suddenly, someone is tapping on Elsa's leg. It's Olaf. "Excuse me for a second." Amare nods and goes back to his stew, using the spoon this time. "Yes, Olaf?" Olaf grins and whispers, "Anna says to try flirting with him!" Elsa's nose wrinkles and her eyes get nervous. Olaf continues. "Start with his name and go from there. And Kristoff says extra chocolate. Now, I don't know if that's code, but if it's not, save _me_ some." Elsa gives a stiff grin to the snowman, "Sure Olaf", and a glare at Kristoff, who waves. Olaf runs off.

Elsa sits up and turns to Amare. "So, your name...Amare is it?" Elsa asks, pronouncing it "Am-'ear' A". " _Amare_ , actually." the prince corrects, pronouncing it: "AM-ar-"ay", "And it means builder." "No pressure there, huh?" Elsa jokes. Amare smiles back, "Indeed. It also means 'good looking', not that I'm bragging." he deadpans before stroking his chin in a handsome fashion and flashing a grin. Elsa, despite herself, smiles. _Why did I smile at that? He almost sounds like Brock._ The prince breaks her train of thought. _"_ So, speaking of pressure, how does it feel to run a kingdom?" Elsa instantly releases a sigh, making Amare raise a brow. "That bad?" "Well, if you want to know the truth, it's _exhausting_. Using my powers all day to fix everyone else's problems once even left me drained me dry." Amare's uncle chocked and the prince had to smack his back before he calmed down. Amare turns back to Elsa and nods, listening. Elsa continued. "Yea, Anna had to help me learn to use my head instead. Of course, by the end of the day, that hurt too." "That sounds busier than my days ever are. Of course, it also sounds exciting."

Elsa looked at him thoughtfully, but now with guarded eyes. Here came another deal breaker. Was he a lazy prince? Or perhaps he was overly dependent on his parents. He didn't seem stupid. Of course, Han's didn't look evil. " _OH_?! I mean...ahem,...what do you mean? Don't you help your parent's rule?" Now Amare sighed. He pushed his stew forward. It was drained except for a group of vegetables, two pieces of meat, and a piece of potato. "Well, imagine this stew is my homeland. Well, in Arundune, the king and queen," He moved the two pieces of meat to the head of the bowl, then the potato, then one carrot, then finally, the rest of the vegetables, "Keep watch over the people to make sure nothing bad happens, but they only exercise…active power, during a famine, war, or in royal disputes, kind of like this treaty." He cringed at his words. So did Elsa. "That was meant to be funny... Anyway, everything else is ran by unwritten tradition, but just in case, beneath the king and queen is the royal advisor, my uncle there, and his guard." Amare pointed to the potato, chopping it to pieces and pushing them into the vegetables below. "They make sure the laws are adhered to and are trained in talking."

Elsa scoffs involuntarily and her brows quirked. "Talking?" She instantly regretted it, knowing she'd insulted him. She looked at him to see if he was offended. Amare's eyes flash, but his smile grows too. "Aha! But in Arundune, talking is _essential_. Our laws are oral not because of lack of writing, there are plenty of books, but because our laws are customs, and our customs are our way of life. If you don't know how to build trusting, authentic relationships and promote resolution and healing, you make someone mad, ruin a tradition or custom, and throw the system out of balance." Amare snapped his fingers. "Too many angry or dissatisfied people and chaos runs like a plains fire and you've got nothing left of our society." Amare stirred his stew into a jumble of vegetables, meat, and potato bits.

Elsa was fascinated. And impressed. This prince had answered her icy suspicions with wit and dash. "Wow. You're a brilliant strategist!" Her voice clearly impressed and full of wonder. "When it's this good, it is hard not to be." Amare winked and put some of the vegetables in his mouth and started to chew. He swallowed, pleased with his demonstration and face beaming with joy at having impressed her. Elsa braved it and placed a hand on his elbow "But where do you come in, Carrot prince?" she teased. Amare put down the spoon and looked at Elsa. He opened his mouth to speak, but then, his face changed. His eyes became guarded, and he gripped and rubbed his throat, as if it were burning. His palms shook. Elsa pulled her hand back, worried and a bit scared. Still, the prince calmly stood up and bowed. "Excuse me. We'll have to finish this later. I have to go to the bathroom." Elsa, frowned, but nodded, obviously confused. "Uncle, tell mom and dad I had to excuse myself. It's _urgent._ " His uncle only nodded and waved, smiling over his bowl of finally cooled soup. Amare rushed out of the dining hall with a swift walk, right when the main course arrived.

Meanwhile, on Anna's side of the table, Christopher slipped out of his chair. The main course included many things he loved to eat, but it also included cauliflower. And Anna, being a good mom, was going to make him eat it. Of course, Christopher realized that offering her chocolate was the perfect distraction under which he could make his escape, his dad occupied by an eating contest with Mr. Oaken. And so, under the cover of so many taller servers' legs, Christopher snuck off, planning to eat whatever goodies were left over in the ball room on the tables. On the way though, he saw the visiting Prince rush by. Curious, but cautious, he followed from a distance. This prince could move-fast! He skulked around in the dark shadows of the torches, and leaned against the walls, determined to keep up, but determined not to get caught. Rather than run to the bathroom, Amare ran through the ballroom, into the main hall, and out of the palace doors!(The guards were all at the table, eating and talking) Outside, the prince entered the group of tents and carriages, greeting the guards posted before sending them away, entering into a tent that came with his royal caravan. Amare stuck his head out once then, when he saw nothing but the blue, starry sky above and the castle and courtyard beyond, he sealed the red orange flap. Christopher walked slowly…quietly forward and stood outside the tent flap, from behind which strange sounds emanated. Suddenly, there were flashes of light! And heat! And smoke from the top hole of the tent! And singing…?

Cautiously, Christopher pulled back the flap and peeked inside. Inside the tent was as red orange as the outside, but it was made homely with some mats and pillows, a small table, and a cabinet, locked up (a glass cross on a wooden pedestal can be seen on the top). In the near middle of the tent stood a kiln with a tall metal pipe that reached the tip of the tent's roof. Amare stood in front of a table in a corner, which was filled with molds of hearts, stars, and other shapes, as well as hollow sculptures. Many of these were filled with sand. All over the table were a sundry of tools: a block, a crimp, tweezers, diamond shears. A puffer, a paddle, a parchoffi, square bladed knives, and straight shears. Across from the table, a barrel of powder soda. Leaned against what resembled a pool rack were a lineup of blow sticks of various sizes. There were also 2 vats of sand

in a corner, suspended by metal racks. Beside those, two troughs of water. Next to the table is a mirror. Amare turned and walked over to the vats. He was breathing deeply, in and out, evenly. His palms were glowing orange and red, with flecks of purple streaking through, along with traces of other colors. The flecks in his eyes started to glow like embers, getting bigger and brighter until the prince's eyes glowed golden as a torch. Suddenly, Amare threw out his hands toward the vats…and flames shot out, heating the bottoms of the metal barrels, the sand inside bubbling and boiling, popping dangerously close to the prince, though he didn't seem to feel it! He added more juice, turning the metal white as he heated the bottom of the vats until the sand became a clear, amorphous solid mass. Amare stopped shooting fire and breathed long, in and out, again. He didn't wait too long after though. He looked at the vat and a grin broke over his face. He began to sing:

Hey guys, sorry this took so long. It's hard to write a song. I'll post that next. Anyway, thanks for your comments, and I hope that I spaced everything out enough, and that this is easier to read. Chapter three is coming soon. Also, if anyone has any advice or issues with the descriptions, I'd love to hear it.


	3. Chapter 3: Royal Secrets

Chapter 3: Chapter 3: Royal Secrets

Chapter three: Royal secret

(Amare's hands flash from one tool to the next as he seems to dance with every step around the forge, singing as he goes.)

Forged by roy-al-ty, (Says this musically) I'm the 'Prince of Arundune.' In the works, and not the politics of a-ris-to-cracy; yes In the forge, I come alive, I'll-, sing it to the moon-. That I'm Alive in the sand, making glass for the queen! A snow dove of beauty, as if from a dream. Admittedly, she came off mean, but I know what she's going through!...(He pauses and looks at his own glowing hand, then sets to work, pulling and molding the glass.)

That queen can be cold and distant and stin-ging, just like ice, but I know; YES, it's clear as glass to me; that fros-ty beau-ty has got a heart that-, I can melt like snow.

When I was a boy, fire was a toy, but like so many children, I was never tame. My fire, it was shiny, but I never looked behind me and I blew up all my peoples' crops and the grain. My parents tried to fight it, but the village wouldn't have me! A monster with a power that would leave the village famished. I charred the meat that once was sweet and over cooked the roots and shoots and so, Prince-or-not, they said that I was ban-ished. (Music slows down.) I traveled for days, over dunes and golden plains. I felt so lonely then, I thought I'd go insane.

I stumbled into an Oasis, but when I went to drink, the minute I touched the water…my feet started to sink! I was caught in a sand trap and thought I'd die, but I prayed to the Lord that I wouldn't die, and vowed that somehow I'd use my gift ri-iight.

And that's how I met the Jinns…! They seemed enraptured (Cymbal crash) by something that I longed for but coul-dn't seem to get. So I snuck in-side and before my ve-ry eyes, I saw magic that I ne-ver would- for-get. Cuz -there was glass! And it was made with FIRE! And the flames turned simple sand into things in-spi-red by the mind! , And with that, I was in-spi-red too by this and as-pi-red to ac-qu-ire this magical art! Be-cause what they created came pur-ley from the heart! At last, I had found an art that I could master! And nothing here could end up in dis—as—teeer!

And they showed me the way! (Amare swirls in a decorative wheel of flame around the molten cake), to use these redundant flames- To make my powers tame! I'd found my muse at last! Now when I'm feeling strongly, I give a fiery blast; a blast of pure elation!

Born- of fi-re, but frac-taled like ice! Making glass was my soul speaking! Feeding embers, stoking passion, waking talent deep inside, till it came alive…and not to mention the prof-it that I made on the side! And since that day, I've never been the same-. And now it's… Clear as flame! (He cuts with a tool) Clear as day! (He cuts some more) As- bright as the fi-re of the stars above! (He picks up the crimp interchangeably with other tools, and starts to intimately carve and smooth as the music slows) That the best of all my works of art are brought to life when I'm (music picks a bit)iiiinnn-

Looo-veee (Drums: dah, dah, dah, duh, duh, duhn! Boom!) HoooooooooOOOOOOOOOOOO! (cymbals rattling)

PWIISSSSSSSSSHHHHHH ! (STEAM BLAST!)- (Amare drunks the glass he's worked on into a vat of water and pulls it out when the red thing turns from angry red, to blushing pink, and finally crystal clear, cool and steaming. Carefully, he holds up an intricately made snowflake of blued glass, with a heart of blown glass melded into the middle of the snowflake.)

Christopher's eyes pop out of his head and he starts to back away. As he does, he slips on a cobblestone and lands with an "oof!" Amare's head whips towards the flap. He lays down his creation carefully and reaches for a glass blower, wielding it like a staff. Christopher scrambles up and makes a run for it, taking the long way around all of the tents, not even caring as he rushes past the guards, who are, thankfully, asleep. In no time he is running for his life right back into the castle walls. Amare, suspicious and confused, stands outside his glassworks, the pole slack in his hand, before going in to clean himself off of the dust, sand, and powder that covers his hands, clothes, arms, forehead, and cheeks.

The six year old reaches the castle doors and bursts into the entryway, running and shouting. "Mom! DAD! MOOOM!" Christopher bounces off the walls as he runs around and around the castle, streaking in and out of rooms and through the halls as he searches for his parents. Not long after thinking of it, he runs straight to his own room, where a rather worried Anna sat up and a rather worried Kristoff snatch him up. "Where have you been!?" they both yell. The next thing Christopher knows, he is being hugged and chastised about running off in large crowds, and that he knew better. Christopher holds up his hands. "I know, I know. And I'm sorry. But guess what! I have a secret and I HAVE to tell you guys!" Anna crosses her arms now, her brow furrowed and a smirk on her face. "Let me guess, you don't like cauliflower? And you have the perfect hiding spot now?" Christopher gives a nervous chuckle and blushes. "I wish" he murmurs under his breath, "But NO! It's about the new prince!" Kristoff and Anna exchange a glance. "Huh…, you spied on him?" demands Anna. Kristoff defends his son. "Hey, boys have to have a sense of adventure." Then he gave Anna a look. "Besides, he gets it from you." It was Anna's turn to blush now. "Ok, yeah, but see, I used my spying skills for good." She corrected. "Didn't you stalk me days before my birthday, without me noticing, just so you would know exactly what I wanted?" Anna put a hand on his cheek. "Buuut, you liked it didn't you?" she chided, smiling. Kristoff grabs her hands in his. "Yeah, I did. You know me so well." "Oh, you." Abba cutely wrinkles her nose. They nuzzled each other's faces. "GUuuuyyss!" Christopher whines with impatience and anticipation, dancing from one foot to the other. His parents smile. Anna slowly sits down while Kristoff steadies her and then sits next to her. "Ok, we're all ears." Anna affirms. Christopher takes a deep breath and then spills out everything he'd seen within the last hour or so. "Ok, so I was in the hallways, when…". He recounted everything he, from the time he saw the prince run by, to the finishing of the glass pendant, describing with impressive detail on how it was made. Christopher never failed to surprise his parents with his smarts. He finished his story describing how the decoration looked. "The prince has fire powers!" Kristoff looked a bit suspicious. "Are you sure you didn't just get a sugar high and imagine this on your adventure during dinner?" "I'm positive!" Father and son went back and forth, Christopher sticking to his story, Kristoff not entirely believing it. Anna, meanwhile, was quiet, one hand to her chin, and one over her belly. "Christopher…" She lifts her head and beckons him with a finger. Christopher and Kristoff, looking more alike than they would have realized, get quiet and Christopher walks over to Anna, who looks deeply her son deeply in the eyes. "He's not lying!" she states calmly. Kristoff turns to her. "What!?" Anna holds up her hands. "Well, I don't know all the details, I wasn't there, but our son isn't lying." Kristoff looks at Christopher. "How do you know?" "Mother's intuition." Anna affirms, following her claim with a nod of satisfaction. Kristoff's eyebrows rise. Then he face smacks a palm to his face. "Ok, anything I can use as evidence?" "Father's intuition?" tried Christopher. Kristoff nuggied him. "Better!" Anna responds, planting a fist in her palm resolutely. "Christopher says Amare made Elsa a necklace, right? Well…," Anna waiting for her husband to put two and two together. Kristoff nods slowly, his face slowly lighting up. "That's right!" Christopher got up now. "Let's go see!" The family hurried out of the room to find Elsa.

Dinner had ended Amare still hadn't returned. Elsa, despite the rest of the company, felt rather lonely with the prince gone. As people left the palace for the night, Jaheem and Nyasha were left in Milly's care, to be led up to their sleeping chambers. Elsa meanwhile, was ruminating over the conversation she had been enjoying, and then brooding over how abruptly it had ended…and how strangely. Amare's uncle had left with the guests, his bowl licked clean. Next to his, Amare's sat cold, the vegetables in it arranged rather playfully to any onlooker's eye. Elsa rounded the emptying table of the dining hall, stopping at Amare's chair. Looking around, she saw no one but the stewards and servants cleaning the other end of the table. Elsa reached down and grasped a piece of Amare's jacket. It had a nearly silky feel, but a crunchy texture. Elsa observed it further, thinking that it was a blend of linen and cotton. Very nice. She lifted it off the chair and spread it out. The hem of the tunic was flecked with black spots. In the middle of the back of the tunic was one big, black spot. In the middle of that was a golden yellow horse looking creature posed as if it were about to take off. "Queen," started a steward. Elsa turned her head, looking into a swarthy serving boy's face. "Yes?" "I don't mean to push you off, but I need to clear this part of the table." He responded, tipping his red cap at her. Elsa blushed. She must have been standing in that one spot longer than she'd thought. "Sorry about that, heh. I'll leave you all to it." Elsa left, jacket in hand, to find Amare. She exits the dining hall and enters the silent hallways.

Anna and Kristoff had just entered the throne room when Amare almost bumps into them. Kristoff stood in front of Anna and the baby, protecting them. Amare skidded to a stop, fumbling his hands in the air to catch whatever had flown out of them. As he did so, Kristoff and Anna stared at the glass snowflake, with a blown heart in the middle, wink in the light before it was snatched out of the air. Amare backed up and bowed. "Sorry. Lady Anna, Ice master Kristoff." The prince then rushed off. After holding back long enough to let him get ahead, the family pursued.

Elsa had just walked into the hall from the dining room when she bumps into Amare, who had just come around the corner rather quickly with an arm behind his back. "OH!" they both said. "You left rather suddenly" Elsa starts, "And didn't come back." She finished. He could see she was disappointed, and possibly more than a little insulted. "Sorry about that." Amare apologizes, then looks at Elsa's arms. Elsa looks at the tunic in her hands, then at Amare, and looks to the side, a bit embarrassed. "Er, here's your jacket." "Thanks you." He says, taking it in his exposed hand. "So?" Elsa demands more than asks, "Where did you go?" Amare smiles his amused curl of a smile, but bigger. "I had to go…and get this for you." Amare presents to Elsa the snowflake medallion.

What the Queen saw took her breath away. Except for inhaling with wonder at the thing, Elsa didn't know what to say. She couldn't say anything. All she could do was stare at the beautiful medallion. Silently, gingerly, Amare places it into her hands. She takes it. Then she lifts her head to look at the prince. "Thank you!... Where did it come from?" she marvels as she fondles the smooth and sharp trinket, especially the heart in the middle. "This is beautiful, Prince Amare." She whispers. Now Amare flashes a full toothed smile. "But how? All the shops are closed on account of the celebration. And I don't think anyone would be up this late to let you into a shop." Elsa pondered as she observed the craftsmanship. "Some people don't need a shop." Amare offered. Elsa's brow furrows as she tries to understand what he's hinting. Suddenly it hit her. "Did you make this?!" she asks, getting excited. "Yes. You asked what my place was in the kingdom. I thought I'd surprise you and give you an answer at the same time." Elsa beamed at Amare, astounded. "A little more impressive than carrot prince, huh?" teased the prince. Elsa was about to respond when Kristoff charged into the room, followed by Anna and Christopher. Amare and Elsa stared at the trio. Elsa "Anna? Is everything all right?" Anna and Kristoff looked at each other. Anna answered. "Maybe…? Wha'cha got there?" "Oh, nothing. Just a gift from the prince." Elsa holds it out for them all to see. Kristoff's jaw drops and Anna's eyes bulge. Christopher smiles triumphantly. "Beautiful, isn't it?" inquires Elsa. "It's a snow flake…" Kristoff says, still shocked. Christopher steps forward. "It looks familiar." he pries. Amare turns from Elsa to look at the boy. "That can't be. I just made it tonight." He states proudly. "With fire, you mean?" Christopher asks innocently. "Amare nodded. "Indee-" Then the smile on his face drops as he realizes what he's just said. And Kristoff, and Anna, and especially Christopher and Amare, all know what the prince really meant. Amare continued. "How else can one make glass?" He then ruffled Christopher's hair and turns to Elsa. Christopher glared and Amare smiles at him, but his eyes, just for a moment,…flash? Kristoff balls his fists and takes and step forward. Elsa interrupts from where she stands, not noticing the tension in the room or the fight about to erupt right behind her. "Prince Amare, care for a moonlight stroll?" "That sounds magical." He affirms, taking her hand in his. Elsa turns around suddenly and looks back at her family. "You guys should really get to bed. Christopher shouldn't be up so late. And you all look like you've seen a ghost. Especially you Anna. You shouldn't be running around. Go rest, Queen's orders." She says, winking. Then the queen turns back to the prince and they start off, walking away. Anna watches them go, and just can't keep quiet. "Elsa!" she starts, rather loudly. Elsa turns around. There was question in her eyes. And, Anna realized, a subtle, but very familiar look. The same look she'd had at the party when she recounted so many failed attempts at love. Amare's eyes are pleading, urgent with fear…and that same sadness as well. Anna sighs. Then she smiles at her sister. "Good night. I love you." Elsa smiles, her eyes happy. "I love you too. All of you. Sweet dreams Christopher." Then she was off.

Christopher started to protest, but Anna throws a hand over his mouth. When Elsa was gone with the prince, she lets go of his mouth, but not his hand. "MOM!" Christopher looks at her with outrage, "You didn't tell her!" Kristoff looked at Anna, his arms crossed. "ANNA! Explanation please?" Anna sighed. "Ok, look… Elsa was so sad at the party when she said how lonely she was. And she looked at me like that again, just now! Think about it…do you guys really wanna break Elsa's heart?" Kristoff looked at the ground. "No" he mumbled. Christopher still didn't seem all the way ok, but he didn't yell when he said, "But mom, the fire?" Anna smiled. "I know. But if the most he's done with it is make a pretty gift, and one for Elsa, I don't think Elsa's in any danger. Plus, he looked sad too. I bet he's got more in common with her than we first thought. I don't think he wants to hurt her. Besides, if he does, Kristoff will just beat him over the head with his pick ax. Or Sven." Anna put her hands to the sides of her head, like antlers, and honks, mimicking a charging deer before tickling Christopher with her "antlers". Giggling and acting like a bull reindeer, satisfied with this answer, Christopher follows Anna back to his room, snorting like a moose and yawning. Kristoff stands alone in the hallway. He looks at his retreating wife and child, then back down the hall where her sister had gone off with the prince. "Somebody's gotta tell her." Kristoff says. Then he turns and followed his wife. "Tommorow." He assures himself. As he walks away, Kristoff pauses and looks out the window Elsa was using to see the necklace. The night is beautiful and deep and blue, filled with stars. A ways out, on the ocean, a boat from Arundune floats in the harbor. Kristoff stares at the boat…and scowls.

Amare and Elsa meanwhile, having walked outside, skirt the perimeter of the castle grounds, talking of many things as they walked through the gardens. Elsa spoke of her love of travel and adventures, as well as of using her powers to help people. Amare admitted that he hadn't had a lot of travel experience. "Really? I thought you would have being royalty and all." "We have boats, and my parents have traveled a bit. But, except for the occasional fishing trip, I am to stay in the castle and learn the ways of royalty from my uncle. Geography, diplomacy, medical things, traditions, and procedures; All the while making sure my uncle doesn't choke to death." The two laugh. "So, how did you end up here then?" Amare smiled. "I convinced them that this outing would be a great lesson in diplomacy." He said simply. "Is that all?" Amare chuckled "Well, no … I also insisted that if my parents go to meet the ice queen without taking me, that I would steal my own ship. They knew I wasn't bluffing this time; I had learned to navigate. So they brought me, and my uncle, and all the things you usually bring when you are caravanning across a sea to meet a queen." As the conversation continued, Elsa found that Amare did however, love to study certain things, specifically swordplay, hunting, the care of steeds and other creatures, and, of course, glass making. He also had a green thumb. Elsa laughed when he told her about the time he'd started a crop fire, that incident being the reason he'd been taught to garden in the first place. "How did you start the fire?' Elsa asked him, still laughing. Amare coughed now. "I was hunting for a bird and I missed. I shot a flint pan instead and the sparks hit the field. It was a dry, windy day." He finished. They both laughed again. Elsa sighs. Eventually, they stop in the courtyard, where the fountain bubbles soothingly in the night. They sit together quietly for a while, just listening to the wind and night sounds under the stars. After a while, Amare turns and looks at Elsa, question in his eyes. "I don't mean to ruin the silence, but how does it feel to have ice powers?" Amare asks. Elsa smiles. "I was wondering when you'd ask me that." She replies, giving a half smile. "It's interesting…mostly wonderful! I can stop a waterfall, freeze a pond to skate on; I can make it snow, and …" Elsa frowned now. Amare stopped smiling and turned to her. "Are you ok? Was that a bad question? Stupid me, of course it was-I'm so sorry!" Elsa shook her head. "No, no. It's just that, when I was little…." Elsa told Amare about the time she'd frozen her sister, then about the time she'd frozen Anna's heart, and how it felt to have her powers go out of control. Amare put a hand on her shoulder. "I've endangered my family too; I can relate. But still, you didn't mean it. And there are worse powers to have than ice. Fire for instance…" He started wistfully into the sky. Elsa gave him a weird look, but smiled, feeling much better. Still, something about the way he had just said what he did about fire left something of an alarm going off in her brain. She was about to ask further when they were interrupted. "Amare, BOY! Where are you!" Amare's uncle came around the corner, stopping when he saw them. He ran forward and jerked the prince up. "Your mother was worried sick! You know about her nerves, and your father..." the uncle started. "Yes, what about his nerves?" Amare asked, crossing his arms curiously. "Less so, you know his nerves, uh, GAH- DO NOT TRY TO TURN THIS AROUND! The queen asks that you come to bed, for her sake. She worries for the troubles you might get into." Amare smirks. Turning back to Elsa, obviously disappointed and a bit embarrassed, but not to be shaken, he takes her hand and bows to her, wishing her a goodnight before leaving with his uncle. Elsa rises and returns the bow, wishing him sweet dreams before returning to the castle herself. Before she does however, she holds her snowflake necklace up the night and watches the stars dance around and inside it.


	4. Chapter 4: Parchments,Peril, & a Picnic

**Chapter 4: Chapter 4: Parchments, Peril, & a Picnic**

(In the visiting Royals' Chambers)

Nyasha seems to stop in the middle of talking as she lifts her head to see Amare enter the room. Amare's Uncle steps outside of the room, but throws Nyasha a glance before turning an eye onto the prince. Nyasha subtly nods and looks to her husband, who returns it earnestly before switching a feather quill, dipped in red ink, for a stick of charcoal. Amare greets his parents. It's nighttime and the prince is the only one still in day clothes. Nyasha gets up and hugs her son while Jaheem, who has been busy editing some maps, only nods to his son in acknowledgement before returning to his work, a scowl on his face. He rubs his head with frustration. Finally, he slaps down the skinny charcoal stick he has been using on the map, snapping it. "Blast! I can't track those dirty pirates!' Jaheem gets up, pacing around the room as he speeches about how tiresome it is to track thieves by water, and if only he were some years younger, and an expert hunter again, with wild dog packs and a guard, and other such resources, all the while gesturing wildly, the arms of his sleeping robe flapping like a mad bird's, until he finds himself out of breath and in a tizzy, threatening to storm to the tents, find a boat, and sail out into the ocean himself to bring the brigands in. Nyasha finishes her prayers before getting up and calming her husband down, rolling her eyes. Amare meanwhile, is only half listening, off in another world. Nyasha taps her husband on the shoulder and whispers into his ear. Jaheem suddenly gains color again, turning less red as he remembers why the queen had called her son back into the room in the first place.

"Amare…" Nyasha starts. Her son looks up, stopping mid-hum through some song he must have composed as he turns from a mirror in front of him. "You left dinner early." Was all she said, but the one sentence spoke volumes. "Yes," Amare looked at his mom. "Yes. It happened, again...But, it was different! My flames made ice! And there were stars and beautiful light!" He was rambling and musing at the same time, so fast that no one could understand him. Amare's parents looked at each other, but the word "ice" stuck out. Nyasha's eye brows shot up. "So the queen caused this!" Now Jaheem was paying attention. Nyasha continued, furthering her point. "Amare! You _KNOW_ what we talked about. Your gift and her gift! _IT_ would be a catastrophe!" Now it was Jaheem's turn to calm his wife down, placing his hands on her shoulders as she grew stiff with anxiety. Now Jaheem stepped in. "Amare, what your mother means to say is…If this is about finding a girl before your time comes as king, we can understand. But there are plenty of girls in the kingdom back home! Surly you can choose from any one of them?" Amare starts to talk, but Nyasha cuts him off. "We shouldn't have listened to those Jinns! Destiny my foot! _Be-sides_ Amare, you fall in love with every girl you talk to for more than 10 minutes! What is this queen to you? Something exotic? What's wrong with a nice Arundunian girl?" Now Amare was both embarrassed and rallied. "Mom…!" the prince sounded shocked, and a bit smarted. "Elsa isn't just something new! I fall in love, I don't go for prizes, you know that! And I feel a different…a kind of connection with her!

"Tomorrow, I'm going to find out more about Elsa. When all is said and done, if it doesn't work out, I'll leave her alone. But I can't let this gift (or curse) ruin my chances to find happiness." Nyasha didn't look worried anymore, but she still wasn't all happy with Amare's decision. Jaheem on the other hand, decided it was a good idea.

By the next morning, the castle and village of Arendelle were mostly back to normal. Even so, the subtle tension and feeling of business was in the air as the King and Queen of Arundune, along with Amare's uncle, conversed with Elsa and the dignitaries over the specifics of the treaty within the council chamber. The door was locked for most of the morning as voices rose and fell and emotions, and the occasional quill or piece of balled up parchment, flew all over the place. The poor table took a pounding as points were accentuated by both dignitaries and Jaheem. Finally, exhausted, everyone exited the chamber. Elsa, the first one out, told everyone to meet back tomorrow in the same place, same time.

Everyone breathed a sigh of relief as they left. Elsa turned a corner, separating from everyone else and let out an exasperated sigh. "My sentiments exactly." Elsa jumped at the sound of Kristoff's voice. "I'm no dignitary, and I know they're the enemy, but is it really so hard to just agree to not fire arrows at each other anymore." Elsa scowled. "I wish it were that easy! But we still have to decide what to do about the pirates, and figure where they're coming from and who they are. They're the only unknown that are keeping us in a stalemate. They could be ours, in which case reparations and apologizes would have to be made, or theirs, in which case they would owe us. But both sides insist that neither one of us has ever allowed piracy in many years. And if we don't settle this, neither land will ever fully trust each other and we'll be at war all over again if even _one arrow_ falls out of a quiver! So _no_ , it isn't so easy." Kristoff blinked. "Your eye is twitching." Elsa shut her eyes and started to snarl, her anger turning into a tiny storm of sleet above her head. Kristoff backed up a step. "You're sleeting now." Elsa opened her eyes and blushed. Then, breathing once in, then out, very deeply, the sleet disappeared as her back straightened and her face returned to a less growly demeanor. "Sorry" she said. Kristoff put a hand on her shoulder. "It's ok. You're stressed. And you look like you could use a break."

Elsa decided he was right and decided to go for a carriage ride in the country. Elsa was lost in her head, reviewing where she had gone wrong, who had said what, and how she could do better the next meeting. It was hard to notice the pretty, sunny day. She groaned as she put a hand to her chin, ruminating more as the carriage pulled out of the gates. As she was on her way through the village, a wheel jiggled and the carriage fell over onto the cobblestones. The coachmen and Elsa both tumbled out onto the ground. Upon hearing the scene, lots of villagers rushed towards the fallen coach, fussing over the mess of wood and their queen. The coachman scrambled to his feet and helped the queen up. "My lady, are you alright?" Elsa groaned, but smiled. "Yes, I'm- _ow_ -fine." One man dug through the wrecked carriage. "Seems it was a rock, mi'lady!" he called, bringing it straight to her. Elsa looked at the rock in her hands, and then at the carriage, which didn't look like it would be used again for a while. "I guess I needed to talk a walk anyway." she said half to herself. Suddenly, there was the sound of peoples oohing and screaming as the pounding of animal feet on stone rushed up towards Elsa. "Elsa!" Amare rushed over to her. Elsa turned around...and her eyes bugged out of her head. Trotting towards her with a high stepping gait was a creature she'd never seen before. It looks like a horse, but with a longer neck, a tufted tail, and long, floppy rose ears. As it rushed towards her, Elsa heard it's hooves beneath its mop like feet clip on the street. Then, lowering its front legs, then its back ones, it settled onto the ground. Amare jumped off as ran the rest of the few feet towards Elsa. "Are you alright?!" he asked, looking her up and down and spinning her around. Elsa woke up and reacted. "WHAT! What! W-(Then her voice was calm and full of puzzlement)-...what is that?" she asked. The worry left Amare's eyes and turned into confusion, then realization as he followed Elsa's eyes. "Oh. That's Sugar Cane. He's my mulligatawny. Sort of a like a horse. More like what they'd call a Llama. They're native to Arundune." Sugar Cane raised his head and looked at Elsa with a stare that reminded her of Sven a little, if Sven wasn't such a goof ball. This steed looked sharper, but just as cheery. "So, where we're you going?" Elsa frowned now and explained how she was taking a break from her meetings when a rock or something ruined her plans. Amare put a hand to his chin. "Well that does seem to ruin your plans. Of course, it doesn't have to. Sugar Cane, Come up boy." Sugar Cane rose up on tall legs, causing children who had started to pet him and climb him, to slide off and scatter as he trotted over to Amare. "Elsa," Amare inquired, "would you like to go for a ride?"

Speechless at first, Elsa stuttered out, "On that...?" Amare nodded. Sugar Cane snorted. "Oh hush; you've been called worse." Sugar Cane craned his neck and spat in Amare's face. Elsa made a disgusted face, and laughed now, but nervously. Amare wiped the spit off, a playful scowl on his face. "See, harmless. And only smells half as bad as a reindeer." Sugar Cane seemed to perk up at this. "Plus," Amare coaxed, "I made a picnic." Now Elsa was intrigued. And scared too. Surly he wouldn't sabotage her carriage like that, and almost kill her... But to have a picnic...and a picnic outside, away from papers and ink and people, did sound rather nice. Elsa sighed. "If I ride this... _him,_ you have to do something scary too." Elsa stated. Amare waited for her suggestion. Elsa's eyes flashed. "Ice skating! You have to ice skate." Amare looked surprised, then nervous, but finally broke into a smile. "It's a deal!" And so Elsa agreed to the bumpiest ride in her life. Sugar Cane kneeled over and extended his neck. "You'll have to get on first. Wouldn't want you to fall again." Amare remarked. Elsa stuck out her tongue as she gracefully lifted a foot over the mulligatawny's neck...and whooped loudly, startled as she was swiftly lifted off the ground into the air. Amare stepped back, then took a skipping leap and clambered onto Sugar Cane's short, broad back like an acrobat. "All right prince 'good at everything', show off much?" Elsa chided playfully. Amare winked as he grabbed the reins and looped them over Elsa's head. "Only for pretty ladies, children, and the occasional party. Hold on to his neck by the way...yea, like that." To Sugar Cane he said, 'Hut,Hut!" and turned his steed's head towards the forest outside of the village. Sugar Cane took off in a high stepping sprint, right front and left leg, followed by its right and left back legs swinging back and forth, quickly leaving the village behind. Elsa screamed at first, blushing as she did, but her screams of fear quickly turned to laughter and excited cries of "faster!" then "Slower!" as the two rode off to enjoy a midday picnic.

As they left, the man who had handed Elsa the rock was walking away. Watching him and the departing royals were three sets of eyes of three figures, all of them hooded and hiding in the shadows.


	5. Chapter 5

Chapter 5: (Secrets about you)

Wind whistled beneath Elsa's sunhat as she bounced along on the animal's back. And suspicious thoughts flew through her mind. This all seemed so surreal…and yet so normal. _It is…it's, weird, but, almost normal, and… wild._ Elsa couldn't shake the feeling, the questions burning in the back of her mind. She hardly notices the refreshing breeze as she holds on for the ride. _Why would that carriage break down like that? A pebble wouldn't really do that kind of damage to a sturdy, heavy wooden wheel, unless the wheel was really, really old. Or…perhaps…it had been tampered with_? And then there was the convenient arrival of the prince.

Elsa sighed to herself. Was it all an elaborate plan to woo her? Or was Amare trying to off her, for his advantage, to somehow swing the treaty? For months, royals and princes from all over the kingdoms of the earth had been visiting, even now, her castle, going in and out, doing God knows whatever princes do on a vacation/war counsel journey. And yet, Amare always seemed to find his way over to her. It was all very strange. And to make matters more frustrating, she couldn't even see his face behind her as he steered her towards what she hoped wasn't a kid knapping. Was he smirking evilly? Or was he just enjoying the ride like she was? Probably he was enjoying her yelping and screaming every time they took a sudden turn, jumping a stump or small bush. _What's your game Amare?_ Oh, how she wished she could just ask him. What was he hiding behind his refined warmth, his bubbly charm?

Sugar Cane finally stopped under a shady tree and slowly lowered himself to the ground. Amare slid off the animal's back. Elsa wobbled a bit as her feet finally touched level ground. Amare moved to help steady her, but she held out a hand. "I've got it…" she insisted. Still, now that the ride was over, Elsa's stomach caught up with her. Suddenly, she didn't feel so good. She'd ridden horses before, but this thing was quick, bounding and romping around like a…, well, like _this thing did_! The way it whipped around and over hills and uneven ground made the snow queen sick to her stomach. Amare had leaned up again, and now slid off the back of Sugarcane, this time with a basket in his hand and a blanket over his arm, dragging in the grass.

Everything was quiet now. Elsa plopped down onto the soft grass and tilted her head back, breathing in deeply.

Finally, everything was still. It was a bright sunny day, but cool winds blowing down from the mountain peaks high and far away rolled across the surface of the mighty deep fjord, sending waves of cool breeze across green forests and valleys. As the breeze brushed across her face, she forgot her sickness. On the bank of this inlet, they sat, royal and royal, and Elsa watched the still surface of the water ripple with the occasional dragonfly or the wind, drinking in the beautiful day. She marveled at all of this and her thoughts wandered to the Cross shaped May pole near the castle.

Elsa then thought about her ice powers, and how much like this cool breeze, her ice brought people some comfort. It made her feel good, purposed. A ruffling snap interrupted her thoughts. Speaking of purpose…Elsa watched as Amare settled the basket in the middle of the blanket with a soft _plunk_ , smoothing out the wrinkles as her straightened the corners. She got up and helped to smooth out the blanket, and soon the two were sitting across from each other with a basket between them. "Finally" said the prince as he plopped down himself. "So, what'd ya bring me?" Elsa asked, her stomach growling to accentuate the point. Amare opened the basket. "A lot." He replied, looking into the basket and taking out small plates and placing tea cups on them, and a kettle. Then he took out sandwiches wrapped in parchment, some fruits and vegetables, and other wrapped things that Elsa assumed (and hoped) were food.

After giving thanks for the food, Elsa and Amare dug in. Deliberating on behalf of your kingdom is, needless to say, hard work. Still, Elsa controlled herself again, and took to taking regular sized bites of her food after her initial chomp, chewing properly instead of wolfing it down like she wanted to. It was so good! ... It was…her favorite? Elsa started to ask him a question, "How did you…", but Amare beat her to the punch.

"Hope you like the sandwiches. Anna helped." Amare offered. Elsa swallowed. "Anna helped? Did she plan this then?" Elsa inquired, surprised to find in her own voice a bit of disappointment. Amare held out his hand flat and turned it from side to side, "Not really, but I told her about this and when I asked her about you and she… _talked_ …a lot. Are you sure you two are related…directly I mean; maybe just really close cousins…perhaps?" Elsa giggled. "Yeah, I'm sure…what all did she tell you?" Amare then rattled off Elsa's favorite color, pointing to the blanket, her favorite foods, pointing to the basket, and a few other introductory things one might learn about another person if they were planning the perfect day. "She also said to find you in town. The weather really helps too. Thank You" he said to God, waving his hand. Elsa was dumbfounded. "You've got a good memory…and Anna has a big mouth." Amare laughed at this. "Well, you're a queen. You deserve a picnic at least once in a while." Elsa smiled.

Amare picked up a sandwich and started to eat it. "mmmmm. You guys have very good deer meat here." Elsa stopped chewing. "Are you serious?" she asked carefully. He showed her his sandwich. "You've never had it before?" "Occasionally, but I like to keep my meats within the realm of chicken, or duck, or even cow or rabbit; but rarely venison. Just, whatever meat it is… 'Prepare' it away from me!" She affirmed. "You're missing something delicious." He teased, taking another bite. "So, what do you do for fun around here?"

Elsa thought for a minute. Then it hit her! She finished her sandwich and jumped up. "You know how you said you'd go ice skating…" she started. Amare nodded, but looked around. "I did but…I don't see any snow yet." He observed with a chuckle. Now Elsa smirked her trademark smirk. She took off her brown leather riding jacket she'd had on inside the coach, folding it neatly and letting it lie on the grass. Then, she beckoned him with a finger to the water's edge. Amare squatted then stood up and followed her to the bank. "How about now?" she asked. Then she aimed her hand at the river, and the surface was soon covered in ice, a loud, rushing sound echoing across the water and a frosty blast dying away, leaving Elsa's hand cold and foggy, and the river surface perfect for skating. Amare was slack jawed with shock and amazement. "That was surreal…" was all he said. Then, as he looked from Elsa to the ice, and his slack jaw turned into an opened mouthed smile. "Do it again!" he insisted. Elsa obliged, taking him by an arm and dragging him onto the ice, which glittered in the sun. Then, Elsa blasted Amare's feet, giving the soles of his shoes literal ice skates. "Ha HAAA!" The dusky, musical tang of Amare's laugh tickled Elsa as he marveled at the skates on his feet. "You'll have to start out slow, so you don't fall" Elsa instructed. The prince held onto Elsa's shoulders as she slowly started to glide backwards. Elsa slipped her hand from his. As she glided sideways, loosely guiding him, she suddenly let go! Amare flailed his arms, balancing himself. Elsa meanwhile, was a natural. The rippling stripes of her white and red sundress flashed colorfully in the light as she twirled, the split back of the sailor collar of her dress flapping in the air. The ribbon of the sun hat Anna made for her whipping like a flag behind her. Amare, in the meantime, had fallen flat on his backside, and slipped again trying to get up. "Ok ice, you win!" he grumped, still trying to get up. He made it to a squat this time before he almost slipped, but Elsa got there first; she put a hand out and shook her head, steadying herself as Amare slowly wobbled and stood up straight. "That was too slow…" Elsa quipped. Amare backed up a little and bowed playfully, "Teach me your ways, O' queen of snow." Elsa rolled her eyes and turned her back to him, then wrapped his arms around hers. Her collar was like a short cape, covering the U shaped back of her dress as she pressed against him. "I shall, prince of 'good at everything'".

"Now," she said, "Just do what I do. Follow me." Supporting his arms and directing him, Elsa led Amare across the ice, first in one direction, then the other. After he got a sense of balance, and direction, she spun around and guided him like she had the first time. "Just feel the ice beneath you. Don't try to direct it. Follow the flow, just flow with it." she instructed as his feet followed hers, gentle scrapping sounds smoothly sounding across the ice in the afternoon sun. "Flow with the snow" he half joked, intent on not falling again. Eventually, they attempted circles, with Elsa holding an arm out as he held on, spinning with her. And very soon after that, they were circling each other, slowly at first, but getting faster, connected by opposite hands.

A few minutes later, and then they weren't touching at all…but they were absolutely connected! Elsa dipped and glided, ebbed and flowed while Amare skidded and flicked his feet, his unsteady movements turning into dancing in and out of her figure eights and other patterns, the two gracefully carving the ice. "Ok, good!" said Elsa encouragingly, "Now, do you wanna build a snow man?" "Let's do it!" Amare replied.

Elsa pushed ahead of Amare and in a single, wide, tight curve, made a great big egg shape, ice dust slowly rising from her skates as she stopped. Amare skimmed the line she made and stopped at the tip of the oval, only for his feet to stutter. Elsa thought he was going to fall again, but instead he spun back and forth like a top, and kicked his feet and dug into the ice lightly at intervals, leaving slashes on curves resulting in what resembled Olaf's "hair" on top of the circle before sliding down the other side of the curve, stopping at Elsa's left side. "Well…?" He inquired. Elsa looked at it, an arm across her chest supporting the one that held her hand under her chin. She nodded slowly.

"Nice" she commented studiously before flashing a flirty smile and dashing off. She slid out to the almost middle of the left side of the circle and carved out a circle for an eye and then, with a hop, skip, and a pivoting leap, she spun into the air, the skirt of her dress flaring out as she did! She seemed to float down as she landed into a backwards glide that made a second eye before drawing a line from the inner circle out a onto the ice, just before sharply curving at the point of her line and swooping back towards the other eye. And with that she had made Olaf's eyes and carrot nose, standing some feet away from Amare, who skated closer to see her work. Elsa looked over her shoulder. "Well…?" she teased. Amare nodded slowly, stroking his own chin before turning to her with his curving smile. "Now whose 'good at everything'?" he teased back. Elsa threw back her head and laughed before grabbing his hand. Soft, swirling music seemed to fill the air with a magical mood. They circled in and out of each other, and finished a mural of Olaf, his buck toothed smile flashing in the setting sun. Amare saw that Elsa was about to attempt a jump again. He slid up beside her. "Do you trust me?" he asked. Elsa paused, and then nodded. Amare shot past her and a ways out in front of her. "Jump Elsa!" he called. She sped towards him and leaped!

Then, everything went wrong. Elsa flew into the air…

She landed in the outstretched hands of Amare, who lifted her high in a ballet pose before lowering her slowly as he spun with the impact and pulled her close to himself.

The two laughed and slowly glided together. And everything was fine…until Amare's left skate checked itself on the ice as he glided backwards, causing him to stumble. He slipped and fell backwards, his feet flying out from under him. On instinct, he lifted Elsa high again as he braced for impact of ice against the back of his skull, letting his arms go stiff, but leaving his body limp. Elsa thought quickly, and blasted a thick flurry of snow past his head, letting it pool up to a sort of cushion.

Amare landed in thick bed of snow with a loud, muffled crunch. But he had already let go of Elsa, thinking quickly himself, just before the impact. Consequently though, after a moist, soft landing for the prince, the queen landed on top of his stomach.

The crunch of snow simultaneously sounded with an _OOoof/UOummpfh_ from the two skaters.

Amare slowly lifted his head and shook the snow out of his hair. Elsa slowly lifted her head as well, her eyes apologetic. "Are you ok?" she asked, her voice quieter now, wobbly. "Absolutely; you saved my life!" he answered, his own voice shaken, but not as quiet as he reassured her he was fine. He reached a hand to her and pushed some loose hair out of her face, checking her cheeks for cuts.They stayed that way for a few minutes, Amare on his back in snow, Elsa spread like a rag doll on top of him. They stared at each other in fear. But the fear slowly, quietly ebbed away as they looked into each other's eyes.

Amare's hand on her face was warm. Elsa felt the hot heat rising from her cheek start to spread across her face in a flash. Elsa winced, breaking their gaze. Amare blinked. Suddenly, they blushed as they realized how they must have looked and Amare removed his hand rather quickly, blinking fast. "Well! That was fun…" Elsa said, awkwardly clearing her throat, and scrambling up. "Indeed it was!" Amare said, his voice cracking only once as he got up too, clumsily supporting her before both of them held their arms and hands awkwardly at their sides. "But uh, you _are_ ok, right?" Elsa asked again. "Yes, yeah…, and you?" Amare asked? Elsa nodded her head up and down with a "hmmm." More silence. "Well," she said finally, breaking the silence, "I think that's enough skating for one day." "Agreed." He chuckled. The two made if off the ice without a scratch. By now, and the time they'd cleaned up from their picnic, the sun was low in the sky, and the ice beneath was shining, golden and orange in the dying light.

Amare and Elsa lay side by side, staring at the humongous, puffy pink and lavender clouds above as they floated slowly by against the tangerine sky. "That one looks like a rabbit." Elsa said. "Which one?" Amare asked. "That one, It's coming above our tree…NOW!" Elsa pointed a few times at the sky. "Oh, I see it now." Elsa nodded. "What do you see?" Amare started at the clouds for a minute. "Ok, I think I see a boar." He responded, pointing to the left, above Elsa's head. "You think?" she inquired; "You're supposed to be the creative one." She commented, lifting the neck of her pendant. She looked at the boar-cloud. "Well, it _did_ look a pig…only now it's starting to look like a dog" Amare responded as the wind messed up the picture. Elsa squinted and then laughed…"Ah, I see it!" Amare laughed and looked up into the sky again…"and that one above it looks like a lion." Pointing to a cloud with puffy feet, a wild looking "head", and what might resemble a snout on one end and a trailing puff for a tail on the other.

Elsa leaned back down onto the grass. "I've read about those when I was little. Good thing they don't exist." She commented. Amare sat up so quickly Elsa thought he'd sat on a thorn or something. "Not real?" His face was bewildered. Elsa sat up now. "Yeah. They're a myth, like dragons…right?" "Lions are very real!" he said. As he spoke, he suddenly hunched over, crouching into a squat. "They're tan like wood grain, and larger than a man, and heavier than 5. And they're nearly as fast as a gazelle." He spread his hands out. "The males have thick, long manes. They have sharp teeth as long as my pointer finger." He stalked forward, rolling his shoulders like a big cat. "And when they roar" Amare physically shrunk back a little. "Only a fool wouldn't want to run away from an animal like that. And they like hunt at night. And when they do hunt, they eat…" He let his voice hang in the darkening air.

Elsa leaned forward, waiting. The sun was down now and stars were starting to come out. "Deer!" Amare finished, giving a playful snarl before doubling over and laughing when Elsa startled. He was so busy doing that that he didn't see the snow ball coming at his face until he felt a wet smack across his face. Amare wiped it off.

Elsa crossed her arms. "That wasn't funny" she declared, then laughed at him. "But that snowball was." He lay back down on the grass next to her. "Well, lions are real, anyway." He smiled. "You like scaring people." She accused more than questioned. Amare considered this. "I never noticed that before, but I suppose I do." He said. "But only little scares. I like telling stories more actually." As he lay down next to her, he looked up again. "We keep meeting under stars." he observed. Elsa turned to him. "Yeah, I've noticed that." They stared up into the diamond studded heavens. "We should head back to town. It's pretty late, isn't it?" Elsa inquired nonchalantly. "Yes. Your advisors will think I've kidnapped you." "Well, if you did, at least I wouldn't have to attend another meeting. And I'd get to go on plenty of picnics." The two laughed as they got up and started back, slowly riding back to the village. For a while they rode along in silence. They started to talk again once the village came into view.

"Tomorrow, I'll fix your carriage. You seem to prefer it to my _noble steed_." Amare commented as they rode along the cobblestoned road. "That'd be nice; And really helpful too." Elsa replied, "I'll help you." They rode quietly again through the village, the stars and some candles being the only lights they saw. As they passed a nearby window, with a candle on its high sill, a candle seemed to flare up suddenly before slowly dying back down. Sugar Cane whipped his tail. Elsa, who was in front again, only noticed the flash. She looked behind her. "Your steed is going to set my kingdom on fire." Elsa said, sticking out an arm behind her and frosting the candle. "Maybe he likes scaring people too." Amare joked.

By the time they made it back to the castle, it was very nearly midnight, and would be morning soon. Elsa got off so Amare could return SugarCane to his stable, or wherever you kept such a creature.

"I'll see you tomorrow." "You too. And…Thanks for the picnic" Elsa replied." "Anytime"


	6. Chapter 6: Kritoff's Secret Mission

The sun rose sleepily higher in the sky, ushering in a new day. Elsa was sleeping peacefully while her room was slowly invaded and filled up with sunlight. It beamed in through the window all the way to her dresser mirror, and right through the blanket into her waking eyes. She groaned and slowly rose up from her bed. She yawned, and…smiled. Swinging her legs to the floor, she got up and walked over to her window, and looked outside. She'd always been an early morning person, but today, watching the rising sun slowly change from the ruddy orange of dawn to yellow of day as it rose higher into the sky, she felt on top of the world! The sky was soft and blueing and the day was bright, new. She felt like singing.

So she did: She stepped back from her window and stepped skipping twirls around her room, and doing a little dance, before taking a big breath and breathing out the fresh air and turning her back to the window.

 _Hmmm..HAAA..…Something about today makes this mor-ning wonderful-l …Something seems, just seems dif-ferent…something about this day makes this morning rather grand. Could it be the sun in the sky, or those birds is the distance flying by? I just feel like dancing like the sea when it meets the sand, back and forth, and laughing like a brook, & man!, is it just cuz I can?_

 _I wake up to a cup of tea, and a 'How do you do mi'lady?' or 'hello, Queen'_ _Elsa!_ _(_ Elsa steps twice like a dancer). _Something's knocking at the door of my heart today- Could it be the wind in the trees that sings a new tune-? (She whirls to her closet and throws it open) Could it be perhaps just this new dress I can wear, or maybe this one, what to do with my hair and…why do I care-? I'm not sure that I care a-ny-waaay! Something inside of me smiling calling me"_ _"Elsa…"_ _' I never knew -"Elsa!"- how much I loved hearing my name…_ El-saaa!

A tisket-a tasket- a carriage for a basket, a picnic by the sea, and a dance on ice for meeeee-

 _Hooo-! Something new is stir-ring around inside my mind. Like the knock of a one horse carriage on a bump-y road. I'm not sure what's happening to my head, but I can hear in my ears…the beat of my heart like a woken up lark freed from a cage after Ages of dreaming - toooo Flyyyyy( that note was particularly pretty and free) This feeling, oh…this feeling (she slows down and rests on her bed, hand to her cheek before thinking, pacing around the room in a tizzy)…could it be him that's got me this silly? Silly's fun when Anna's around, but I've never made this kind of giggling sound. (Joy over takes Elsa again, and she leaps onto her bed) It's been gone for such a time and now with a start, it releases like a bag of sparks! Butterflies storming, with minds of their own, just waiting to be set free! Life feels better when we are together, by the sea, he and me! I'm fresh as new fallen snow, and yet so bubbling bubbly, Whheeeeee! It's so close to being free, to the other part of me, the part I used to be, from long ago…a mystery with an answer…my heart's been given a chance now, a blessing to release, a leap of faith, to trust and try again…heart in my hands…Lord only knows…(she frowns slightly, and her dancing slows to a stop, till she is sitting on her bed, now laying on her back, looking past the ceiling) …do I dare let it go?_

"ELSA!"

Elsa starts and sit up! Someone actually _has_ been calling her name…and knocking at her door. Blushing, Elsa quickly rushes to get dressed. Outside, Milly sits by Queen Elsa's room, humming the very tune she heard from behind the door, but she stopped immediately when the door unlatches and flies open.

Elsa appears in the door frame. "Queen, the royal 'to-do' list" Milly said before Elsa could open her mouth

Below her, from within the kitchen, she could smell the cooks preparing breakfast. Elsa turns to close her wardrobe, pondering about the things she had to do list. She reaches for the necklace on her dresser. Slipped it over her head, she shuts her door, and goes about her day.

After breakfast, Elsa went down to inspect the condition of her carriage. Elsa carried a notebook in her hand and was already checking off her accomplishments for the day. _1\. Inspect the carriage_. Elsa left the carriage in the stable yard and walked into the stables when she ran into Kristoff. "Oh, Kristoff-" she called out. Kristoff, who had his back to her, jumped and turned around. " _Elsa_!" he said, a little too loudly, "What's going on?" Elsa quirked a quizzical brow at him, taken aback by his jumpiness. "Well, I was wondering if you would help me with something…" Kristof cut in "can it wait till later….or is it a now problem, like right now now?" Kristoff asks. Elsa frowns a bit. "Well, it isn't life or death, anymore, I guess, but you do have experience building and repairing things, and my carriage was sabotaged yesterday-" She let the last comment hang in the air. Kristoff sighed, but still didn't move, rather shifting from foot to foot. "Do you have somewhere to be. I didn't mean to interrupt your…whatever you're doing." Kristoff grinned as if he'd had the best idea ever! "Tell ya what, I see you have a "To-do" list- if I promise to be back, I'll repair the whole thing by myself. I'll even polish it for you." He insisted. Elsa smiled a bit, but then stopped short, "Well actually, I need you to inspec-" Kristoff cut her off before she even started speaking though. "Great, a smile- sounds like a "yes" to me; so I'll just take my leave. Relax!" He "massaged" her shoulders roughly and quickly, practically tossing her around in place, before spinning her around with one hand and letting go, holding a thumbs up in her face. "Have a wonderful day, your majesty!" Kristoff ran out of the stables. He seemed nervous…almost angry. But he just repeated the words "…urgent business" , mumbling about a check list of things he needed to get and the color blue. Elsa shrugged to herself uneasily, but soon forgot about Kristoff as she went to find a woodworker from the village. Then it was off to the library.

With the carriage on hold, Kristoff walked through the village with a grim determination. He smiled when people did, but didn't converse with anyone. He only gripped his sack tighter and walked towards the docks. There, tall and sea worthy before him, he saw his mission. The Caravel of Arundune. It was brown wooded and huge ship, with a turquoise flag with orange flowers lining the edges, with white horse looking creature on it in front of orange hills and a red sun. Very decorative. The lookout post at the very top, ended in a box like structure with a sharp, mushroom cap awning on top. The ship was designed for diplomacy, or relaxing, very long get aways. Very decorative, very beautiful. Very distracting and deceptive …there were also two guards, younger men than he. Kristoff walked up to the ship as if he belonged there. Each guard stood about face and put their hands on their blades, lifting metal bucklers . "Greetings, fellas…" Kristoff chirped, waving casually. The shields of the guards clashed together. "You cannot come in here." The guard on the right asserted simply.

Kristoff frowned. Oh, but you didn't hear, I can!" The guard on the left looked to his senior, who stood fast. "No" "We…have received no such information…" the left guard added. Kristoff held up a hand, "hold on-" he dug into his pocket and presented them with a necklace. Elsa's necklace! The guards' eyes mutually bugged wide, recognizing the craft of their prince. "Amare wanted me to get something for him, he handed me this as proof. But he told me to keep it quiet because…well, you know. We know. Elsa _doesn't_ know." Something was very wrong. The guard on the right narrowed his eyes. "Are you bartering with us…or lying?" Kristoff smiled. "Neither…but I do need to get in there. But if I can't come in….Elsa could accidently hear something, if I _don't_ get in there." Now both of the guards frowned. The right guard sighed. "Fine, but be quick-we won't defend you if you get caught." Kristoff nodded and slipped past the nervous guards.

Kristoff looked around the dark ship- this was below decks, and the walls were lined with ropes, skins, and kegs of oil. Dried meats and spices hung from the ceilings in brown paper material, and kegs of sand and powders were stacked in corners. Kristoff bypassed all of this, and instead marched towards the stairs the lead upward. He knew where he was going. He'd been on such ships before- only once.

Kristoff closed his eyes. Behind them, in a time almost before memory, his head, he heard screams…those of his own, and two other voices… _it will be fine sweetest, and never forget, we will always love you!_

Kristoff clenched his fist and stormed up the stairs. Sunlight filtered through minute cracks and seems from the deck above.

He turned the left corner, and shoved open the door in front of him. Before him was only a desk. It was stuffed with papers, in the drawer, over the maps on the desk surface, and in sections of files in drawers that stood on both sides of the desk. He stared outside the window of the small cabin, and pulled the blinds.

Then, resulting through papers, he searched quickly reading, grunting, searching, sweating with fear, and found nothing. Kristof turned around, and looked across the room. There was only one other place to look. He dropped to the floor and reached for the bed's wooden support beam. "AHA!" Kritsoff found the files he was looking for! Not on the desk, but under the bed! Kristoff felt until he felt a hollow patch of wood beneath the frame and, sticking his hand inwards, removed the ship's journey diary. It was old, thick, fully of maps, notes, and papers. He wrapped it up in pitch soaked paper, then again in animal hide, and bound it with leather cord, stuffing it in his jacket. And, true to their word, the guards had not ratted him out. However….

There was a bang on the door. It was heavier than a young man's fist. "We know you are inside. Come out with anything you have on your person. You will be arrested and brought to the king and queen for questioning, unless you resist, in which case we will take you by force…" They also hadn't defended him either.

There was a splash in response, and after many minutes of silence.

The older guard busted the door off its hinges, his sword in hand. The bill curved tip glinted dully. He was a bit lighter than Amare, golden brown, with a furry, greying beard. He was captain of the royal guard, as sported by the red tunic striped with yellow that he wore under his long guard's coat. His brown, leather boots clipped briskly over the wooden floor as he searched the small room. His pitch color stained pants smelled like powder. A nervous, dark look crossed the man face. He felt under the bed, and found a sealed opening. He removed the small panel. Sticking his hand inside, he felt…nothing? "No…!" The room was empty. The shades were down, the papers on the desk disheveled, the wind blowing a few off the desk…"the wind!" The Window!

The guard tore the shade to the side, and looked into the waters below. The last ripples of a diving body faded from the surface. The guard snarled and slammed a hand on the window sill. Rattling beside him on the desk and was a bottle of ink and quill. He smiled, grabbed the supplies, and marched down to speak to the young guards. Someone was in trouble.

Back at the castle, the members of the royal guard of Arundune were resting or gallivanting around town, taking in the sights and sounds of another new place. A fellow is laughing with a guard when someone puts a hand on the guard's shoulder. It's his brother. "Kipat, we have a meeting…now". The joy of a new found friend is cut short, and the villager form Arendelle and the royal guard's man part with a firm shake of hands before the two soldiers rush towards the castle.

Upon entering the room, everyone is disappointed, a bit grim. The have all lined up along the wall, with their captain, and two younger guards flanking him, standing before them all. The older man, with a scar running his chin, is not happy. The last two guards file in, question in their eyes. The answer is given promptly. "This morning, the royal caravan was robbed. These two saw the man and have described him. Hair like yellow sand, brown eyes, burly with a big nose. He is tall. Together, we have recorded his likeness on paper. Tell everyone, a thief has been in the king's navigation cabin. It could be a double agent. No one can know what's been going on! We don't know what the man has taken, but we know he is now potentially dangerous to the royal family. Keep a low profile. You are to wear you royal coats, the ones designated for "festivities" only. Carry swords and cuffs underneath. He is to be brought in alive. Be on the lookout of man who looks like this." The captain of the guard thrust forward his hand. Gripped in it is a piece of weathered paper. Drawn in ink with surprising accuracy is a picture of Kristoff's face.

A ways from the docks, Kristoff emerges farther down the shores, wet and cold, but alive and with what he came for. He looks over his shoulders, and changes into new clothes behind a bush. He wears poor man's shades, horses blinders, and walks with a cane. "Thank God for Anna's disguises." He muses. "Now it's time for a little adventure of my own." Throwing all else in the satchel he's hidden nearby, Kristoff disappears for the day. And Arendelle receives a visitor.

An old man wandered into town. What had hours before been a place of frivolity and talkative street walkers had now become…almost scripted. People talked, and coins clinked. Foreigners from all over spoke with towns people. Everything appeared fine. Except that everyone stared at their neighbor with suspicion. People who were fine in the presence of others seemed to want to be anywhere but near other people. The air reeked of distrust. More than a few stalls were closed, and some people didn't even walk on some streets. The guards had all changed clothes too. They now wore colorful jackets over their civilian clothing; reminiscent of what Amare wore that first night in the ball room. Only their hats remaining on their heads are the same, for those who are wearing them. Their purses jingled at their sides as they walked the town. Seemingly normal, the old man inquired. But their eyes were guarded now. Their steps more careful. Younger men seemed to have itching hips. They were afraid.

"Who is that man over there?" inquired a woman. "I've never seen him before, not around here…" asserted her neighbor. A few people now started to stare at the old man. The old man lifted his mitted hand and tugged at his flopping hat. The hat of an artist, or an old worker of some kind. His trudged along, tapping his cane ahead of him as he went alone the cobbled path.

A guard crossed directly in front of him. "Excuse me, sir." The old man squinted from behind his shades. "Yes, *hack-ack* er, what is it?- My vision isn't very good, you know…" rasped the "old man". The man before him stood tall as Kristoff himself, his torso above the head of the stooped man, but with a readiness to pounce. After clearing his throat, the old man spoke again. "Yes, what can I do yah fer?" asked the elder. The brows of the guard quirked, and he now looked….well, embarrassed. "I'm sorry sir, but have you seen this man?" The guard held a flyer close to the man's eyes.

The "old man's" blood ran cold, and his mouth twisted in shock. The inked depiction of Kristoff was spot on! And now, Kristoff noticed from behind his disguise, that people all over town were being asked the same question. Arundunian Guards were everywhere, patrolling the streets. But Kristoff quickly caught himself, and hacked twice, and straightening his horse blinder shades. "Err…mmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmm….Nope! Not unless he's- you mean that young man I saw scampering around like a squirrel…" Kristof breathed a long breath, as is he had to catch up with his lungs. The guard waited, but his foot was tapping so that he was practically dancing now, his eyes popping! Kristoff resumed his speech. "…around in the forest, by the docks. Something about a package. Can't have mine though!" the disguised Kristoff patted his brown satchel, which rattled with coins, food, and, honestly, a bit of mossy dust. The guard placed a hand on the man's shoulder. "Thank you very much sir- it would be a shame if this man weren't brought to justice." The guard turned to leave, raising a flat hand at two compatriots who were standing nearby, gesturing them to follow him. "By the way, might we help you with your bag, sir?" Kristoff snarled. "NO!" the guard pulled backwards in surprise, then suspicion. Another was soon at the first guard's side. Even villagers started to stare at him again. Kristof had to think fast. "NO!" he shouted again, "I just said that boy cain't have it! You aint using me as bait to catch some vagabond!" Kristoff pretended to tremble as his weathered hands clutched his case. Well, pretending wasn't true at all. If he was captured now, he wasn't even sure Elsa could help him. So, he hunkered protectively over it, and actually sneezing a bit for the dust. Now people stared disapprovingly at the guards. One of the men who had joined them, guard number 3 now, too many guards! But guard number 3 lowered himself to Kristoff and placed a hand over his own chest. He spoke "Forgive us our forwardness, sir. It is a tradition, kindness, an honor to help elders with anything they would need. WE meant no harm. I am called Hazaq. What is your name, and may we help you, at least walk with you to your destination?" Kristoff winced. _This guy could be a diplomat_ he sighed to himself, feeling guilty. His skin was like wood of a ship in color, a sunny brown, and his hair was thin and dark and short. Carefully, he spoke, making sure he didn't betray himself. " Hands" he croaked. Hazaq opened his mouth, not sure what to say, but Kristoff continued… "Her*hack-erm- hack!* I mean Smithers! Han's Kristen Smithers, is the name, laddo. And apology accepted *hack*. I, eh, suppose you could walk with me. Just you though. I don't need a lot of company where I'm goin'- just looking for the doctor in the Down Cobbles…he's a friend of mine; brother actually."

Hazaq smiled, and looked to the others. They all nodded to the man, and the guard that stopped "old Han's Kristen Smithers" and his partner walked off, apologizing sincerely for the disturbance, and thanking him for the information. They ran off to gather reinforcements, to scout the woods.

"So, shall we go- you'll have to show me the way, sir." Said Hazaq. Hans smiled and linked arms with the man, causing him to stoop too. They walked for a while past many homes, walked for a while in the sun, before suddenly turning a sharp corner, aided by Hans's cane of course, into a little known district, so small it hardly existed to those who didn't know of it. It was more of an extended alley way that took up abandoned farmland, on the coast of the main village and houses of Arundune. Far from the castle, but not too far from the market place. It was much less sunnier part of Arundel. Here, children ran in worn clothing only reminiscent of the garb of most of the residents of Arundelle. Now, more shack like, and stone houses, stood. And here and there, eyes peaked about and around from corners, smuggled faces of minority folks and the residential poor put into this situation by the shady actions of some, again, residential residents. Others were born to this. Others were orphans. "Hans" could relate. This place wasn't far behind the store houses of Arendelle ice workers, where men and women stored their manure and hay for their work animals. Again, so distant from the castle, hidden from prying eyes, and easily disguised by the smell. The air had a hot, dirty, woodsy, smoky scent to it, and herbs and spices, meats, and planks of wood, lay against shacks. People bet in the streets for coins. Hazaq frowned deeply. "What is this place." Kristoff answered honestly. "It's where the poor live…not many know about this place. Grew up here actually. Learned a lot. How to think fast, how to sing for my supper. I was very young when I came here, and not even much older when I left." The "old man" paused in speaking and stared at the eyes of hungry children who were sitting in a corner between two shacks. "Excuse me" he said, breaking away from his "guide". Kristoff dug a mitted hand into his satchel, and pulled out two loaves of bread, 3 coins, two apples, and some carrots and a piece of dried meat wrapped in paper. He laid the spread in front of the group of moon eyed children. He then, removing a carving knife from his pocket, cut the bread into 8 pieces, the apples into fours, the meat into strips to feed four families, and offered the carrots at random. Carefully, the children received the carrots, and more carefully, the old man distributed the food, tapping his cane in threat at snatching hands. When the food was given out, the children each briefly looked around, once in every direction, towards their designated homes, once again at the man, then at each other. And without a word of thanks, they scattered like cats! Climbing over each other and darting around corners. Only the coins remained. Hazaq grinned as the elder stood a bit taller, reaching out a searching hand. Hazaq walked over, grabbed his cane, stuck it under Han's armpit, and hooked his own arm in the old man's other arm. "That was wonderful! Their families will have a midday meal- you are a kind old man, with a good heart. God will smile upon you for that…" Kristoff winced again at those words… _good heart indeed_ …Hazaq broke his thoughts. "But…but why didn't they take the coins?" the Arundunain inquired. Now "Hans" frowned. "The coins weren't for the children." Hazaq looked in the direction where the children had come from. Skulking out of the shadows now were adults. There was no food, but instead of attacking the children, as they might have to steal their food, they fought over the coins instead. A tear ran down Kristoff's cheek. "What a waste…" the old man whispered. Hazaq looked about ready to cry too. But then his eyes sparked. "You grew up here, yes?" Hans nodded sadly, his brow quirked upwards in confusion "For a small time of my life, yes". The man moved his hand now from the elder's…"Then allow me to make a donation- it is my turn to do a kindness." Pulling back his coat, Hazaq removed a sword. Kristoff saw one up close for the first time in…not quite forever. But closer now. Hazaq stooped closer to the ground, studying the stones, looking for a flat one, strong and a little warped, knocking lightly each one until a certain cobble resounded with a hollow, solid sound. The sword in his hand bore a thin blade arched as slightly as a finger, and the handle was ribbed, with a fish scale pattern running along the handle. The guard was small and broad, metal coated in copper. Lifting the sword straight up, He guard knocked the butt of the sword against the stone- the sound was round and blunt…and loud. Kristoff marveled with the rest of the desperate people of the Down Cobbles as Hazaq rung the butt of his sword on the stones, sending a ringing knocking down the empty roads. "Greetings, hello people of the Down Cobbles. Hail, from Arundune!" An uneasy quiet filled the air. "A gift from Christ to us, to you all, and good news to the poor!" Hazaq called out, "A coin for every man, woman, and child! Use them well, use them wisely…save them for a better day!" Then, sword in one hand was put away, exposing hand cuffs, and a purse, which replaced the sword. Hazaq had every man, woman, and child on the street, and even from some houses, come and take at least 2 coins from his purse, "Hans" regulating the whole distribution. "I hope your friend doesn't mind you being late" Hazaq commented. "Hans" shook his head, "He can wait…" They did this until the evening was late. When they were finished, the mood of the down cobbles had changed. Now, the gloom wasn't so bad. The food, for those who dined that night on usual fair, was slightly better. Most importantly though, there was the odd sound of tinkling laughter. And not just from children. People even said the grey gruel soup tasted like bread and wine. Hazaq smiled and walked on, Hans walking with his cane, side by side with the other man. "You aren't like most Arundunian's" Hans commented. Hazaq smirked a little. "Have you been to Arundune? A few of us are very much like this." Hans frowned. "Almost" he replied. A shivering hand shifted to his upper arm. "I've seen your pirates…" he bitterly continued. Hazaq nodded. "The pirates were…are, terrible, but that's not who _we_ are. What you saw today, that's tradition where we come from. Not everyone is kind, truth is told, but Arundune isn't a large kingdom- it's just a part of a bigger continent. We can afford to be generous. Reaching the poor  is important, they are your Queen's people too, and giving more than food…that's royal. Tonight, we gave them community, love, togetherness!" Hazaq replied. "Hans" felt warm inside, and actually smiled after a time. "You started it…" he replied back. Hazaq gently elbowed his "elder". "Actually, you did- inspired me at least." The two looked at each other and held gazes. A bond had formed between them. And that was…dangerous. Hans (Kritsoff) quickly looked away. The moon was up when Hazaq finally got to the aforementioned doctor's house. It was in slightly better condition than almost all of the buildings, but was strangely silent. "Are you sure your brother is home?" Hazaq asked. "We can go back.." he offered. Han's shook his head. "He stays up quite late…I can wake him up- you have…opened my eyes tonight. Thank you for what you have done for these people. I'll remember this for a long time. Have a blessed night, Hazaq. I hope to meet …someone like you again." The man smiled. "Yes, sir. So do I." And with that, the old man known as Han Kristen Smithers took a key from his satchel, and opened the door to the doctor's shack, and closed the door behind him.

Hazaq walked home, a song in his heart, and friend on his mind- he even stopped for a bowl of soup on the way out of the Down Cobbles. It did taste a wonderful as the people had described hours ago. He even received seconds. This was now his favorite place in all of Arundelle. He joined the people of the Down Cobbles in song as embers of fire rose into the night sky.

Hans Kristen Smithers removed his disguise, dropped his satchel on the floor, and dug his hand in. For a long time it felt like, he just sat there, against the wall, thinking about the evening that had just passed. He stared at the weathered old fur cover in his hands. Then, unwrapping the stolen treasure from the caravel, Kritsoff stared at the diary…the diary of the ship's former owner. On the cover was a familiar tear. Like that from a small ice pick. As he flipped through the pages, he found maps of oceans, chapters of each charter, pictures of each path the ship had taken to Arundune. Suddenly, he stopped. He was reading now about how the pirates had taken a baby boy…and two other passengers, who had been taken prisoner under the guise that they would be meeting traders. The boy, they left of the docks. _The man and woman have been taken captive. There was a skirmish. Many men came to help the man and woman, stormed our ship_ _(the lines were blurred here and there…Kristof kept reading.)_ _Someone took a pick and struck the captain down. He was saved by a journal resting over his chest, in his coat pouch. We have the ice, the gold, the spices, powder, oh the POWDER!, the_ …

"I don't CARE about the powder, or gold! What happened to…" The log went on

… _We set sail while we were invaded , dumping some captives into the ocean as we ran back to the seas. Quite a few prisoners are on board now. Prisoners they will be, if we don't let the ocean have them. Briefly, I regret to say, the woman escaped the ship right as we were pulling out, and ran out the side door, back to the docks. There she screamed long and loud for help, many times, before she just held her small child, practically a baby …whispered something into his ear. More men were coming. The crew snatched her away and dragged her back into the ship. She fought like a banshee, even clawed my chin! But I knocked her unconscious with my sword. A man grabbed the child and ran back beyond the shore. Reports say the woman smiled in her sleep. Lucky mother….We have the powder, we have the metal. As for the prisoners, the man and woman-_

 _And there the log stopped. "No" Kristoff breathed, sobbed. There was more There had to be more! And there would be, except that the last page had been torn out_ _…_ Kristof wept, slapping the log book shut. His tears flooded out of him into muffled cries of anguish. Grabbing his pick axe out of the satchel he'd taken with him, he began to strike the walls, the floor, and the bed. He struck the post and it lowered on its own. Now a passage opened up. Kristoff slumped against the wall now, scared out of his rage by the noise. Then he remembered why he'd come in the first place. Gone now were the memories of Hazaq, of brotherhood, of kindness. As he started down the passage way, he remembered only one thing. The faint face of a woman. Yellow hair, blue eyes…and warm breath and gentle voice. Almost like a ghost of a memory. Kristoff turned and wandered down the secret passage way. He only turned back to pick up his bag and the stolen log book. He snarled. "Alright pirates… Arundunians….now it's my turn."


End file.
